Truth's Journey: Final Fantasy IX
by Cyrus Truth
Summary: A chance encounter with a manipulative spirit leaves Cyrus Truth weaponless and inside Final Fantasy IX. Now, he finds himself traveling alongside Zidane and the gang as he struggles to find his role in the world of Gaia. Let's hope he doesn't fail!
1. Author's PreStory Notes

**Author's Pre-Story Notes:**

**Greetings, fellow travelers on the Long and Winding Road!**

**The following story is a Final Fantasy IX self-insert, starring yours truly. Watch as the Wayward Warrior makes his way through the world of Gaia as I travel alongside Zidane, Dagger, Vivi, and the rest of the gang on our quest to save the world!**

**Here's hoping I don't screw it up.**

**Several things I need to clear up before I jump into the story:**

**First, if you're reading the story and are a bit confused about the character "Cyrus Truth," you may want to read some of my other works or visit my profile to get a better idea of who he is…or is it I am? Great, now I'm schizophrenic. **

**Second, the only way I will know if this project is a success or a failure is if you wonderful readers leave me a review letting me know if you loved or hated the story. Unless you review, I can't gauge whether I'm bringing the awesome or simply shoveling the crap. So, I appreciate any and all feedback.**

**Third, I don't own Final Fantasy IX or any of the characters portrayed in the game. I only own myself, some plot changes to account for my presence in the game, and any original characters I come up with. So Square Enix, you officially have no reason to sue me!**

**With that, I invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy "Truth's Journey: Final Fantasy IX."**

**Thank you again for reading, and here's to an epic, funny, and all-around awesome project!**

**Unless the story totally sucks. In which case, I apologize in advance.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

"**The Exile" Cyrus Truth **


	2. A Proposition

My name is Cyrus Truth. I am also known as the Exile.

And I'm really starting to hate it when people screw with me and my games.

Yes, even though I am a wanderer by nature, I am a gamer. It seems a little strange, but I do love a good story, whether I read it or I play through it. So, in the time I don't spend wandering the Long and Winding Road or kicking Santa Claus's ass or uploading to FanFiction, I play video games.

On one particular day, I was bored out of my mind. I had just finished writing "When Gods Rise Again" and was enjoying the break in the weather. The winter snow had finally melted away and the spring warmth made walking the Long and Winding Road much more enjoyable than it had been the past couple of months. The sights and smells were quite pleasant and peaceful...

…in fact, it was a little too peaceful.

Having dealt with all my major enemies in the past year (Santa Claus, Dr. Phil, Writer's Block), I was finally able to enjoy my newly-found serene existence. The ironic thing is, once I had my peace, I missed the insanity. Strange as it may sound, I began to yearn for the thrill of a decent fight. And since my mortal foes had decided to back off and leave me alone, the most action I could get was in my games.

And so, on that particular day, the weather refused to cooperate as the rains came down heavily. My trip on the Long and Winding Road was cut short as the downpour became too much. It was either stay outside and get sick or head back to the Exile's Lair and fire up the game consoles.

Two guesses as to what I ended up doing.

"Damn it!" I shouted as I was in the middle of a firefight playing the game Borderlands on the Xbox 360. It's a pretty slick shooter with heavy RPG elements, and a good way to kill time. Unfortunately, I found myself in the middle of several bandits with assault rifles and two gigantic brutes wielding rocket launchers…and my shield had just given out.

"For the love of…jump! Deploy the freaking turret! Shoot the head…the HEAD, DAMN IT! WHY AM I SHOOTING THE LEGS AND NOT THE HEAD?!"

The remaining shouting was a mixture of swears and incomprehensible babble as one of the brutes hit me in the face with a rocket, knocking my character down. At that moment, I had just a few seconds before I died completely…but if I was able to get a kill before I bleed out, I'd get a second wind and maybe stand a chance of winning.

Unfortunately, none of my foes were weak enough for me to finish them off. So, my character bled out and re-spawned at a previous checkpoint…minus a nice chunk of his accumulated cash.

I sighed as I went ahead and saved my progress and shut off my 360. I had spent the better part of twenty minutes trying to get past that particular part of the game, and I knew that I was in no state of mind to try getting past it today. I shook my head, took a deep breath, and walked over to a window. To my dismay, the rain wasn't relenting.

"Well, so much for finishing my walk today," I muttered to myself as I headed for my laptop. I decided that, before I could back to my game, I'd unwind by checking my FanFiction account and see if anything was new.

Once I logged in, I was disappointed to find that none of the stories that I had tagged to alert me had been updated. Before I logged out, however, I did notice a new message in my inbox. I clicked the link as I saw that the message was sent to me by a unique user.

"Author name 'Mischievous Deity?' Who might you be?" I asked myself aloud. "You're not one of my reviewers or an author I have on alert."

Curious, I clicked the message. After waiting a few seconds to load, the message popped up on my screen:

_From: Mischievous Deity_

_I've had an opportunity to read your work. You certainly do have your own unique flair when it comes to writing, even when you borrow elements from other works. Then again, it is "fan fiction." Both your main stories were quite enthralling, whereas your side works were rather humorous if a little farfetched._

_I have a proposition for you. There's a special project I'd like for you to undertake. Consider it a more…hands-on project than your previous works. I can assure you, it might end up being your magnum opus._

_I look forward to your favorable reply._

I rolled my eyes. I've been fortunate that all the people I've come into contact with on FanFiction have been quite understanding and supportive without being needy or pushy. Never until that day had a reader of mine flat-out tried to convince me to write something that they wanted instead of what I wanted to write.

Seeing neither purpose in replying nor having any desire to undertake "Mischievous Deity's" so-called project, I quickly deleted it without a second thought. Finding nothing else to take care of online, I went ahead and went back to my seat in front of my TV as my hands reached for my controller.

"How rude. You could have at least replied."

Shocked, I dropped my controller and spun towards the source of the voice. By means unknown to me at the time, a thin man in a gold-colored suit was leaning against the opposite wall to that of my TV. His hair was snow white in color and shoulder-length, and his eyes were slightly slanted, giving this stranger a somewhat impish look. This intruder had his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"Who the hell are you, and how did you get in here?" I demanded, my fingers searching for my driftwood cane. Whoever this stranger was, he'd soon be meeting the business end of my scythe…

"Oh, relax, Cyrus," the stranger insisted. "I swear…I didn't realize you were this uptight."

"Answer my questions. Or else…"

"Or else you'll attack me with your precious Final Chapter?" the stranger replied as he stretched out his palm and produced my prized weapon out of a quick flash of light.. "Come now, Cyrus. Must you solve all of your problems with violence?"

"What the…how did you do that?" I asked, half-enraged and half-confused.

The stranger shouldered Final Chapter as he ran his fingers through his hair with his free hand. "Well, perhaps it is best to start with the introductions. I am 'Mischievous Deity,' but you may call me Gihen."

"'Gihen?' Still never heard of you."

The man calling himself Gihen chuckled. "Nor should you have. But, that's neither here nor there. Just know that I'm not your enemy, and I'm here to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime."

I shook my head. "Screw your opportunities. All you've done since you broke into my Lair is act like a condescending prick and avoid my questions. Now, give me back Final Chapter and start making sense!"

Gihen, never losing that smug smile on his face, replied, "Oh, very well. You're really not as much fun as I thought you would be. Well, as I mentioned, my name is Gihen. And I'm no ordinary being…but I'm guessing you already knew that."

"I had a hunch," I said sarcastically.

"Of course. Anyway, as my author title suggests, I'm a spirit of sorts. As such, I have incredible powers that mortals like you simply do not possess…powers beyond your feeble abilities. How else could I have entered your precious Lair and stolen your prized scythe?"

"Through the window and while I was preoccupied with my computer?"

"Funny. At any rate, I'm here because I and a group of other spirits have taken an interest in you. Like I mentioned earlier, I have a certain project that I'd like for you to undertake."

At this point, I had calmed most of my anger (saving only a little because Gihen still had my scythe in his grubby little hands). Instead, it had been replaced by legitimate curiosity. "All right," I relented, my arms crossed in front of my chest. "You've obviously went through a lot of trouble to get my attention, so I'll give you two minutes to tell me what it is you want before I toss you out."

Gihen let loose an amused chuckle as he held out his free hand palms-up. With another flash of light, the alleged spirit created from nothingness a very familiar object…

"Final Fantasy IX?" I blurted out as Gihen continued holding out the familiar PS1 game case.

"All I want is for you to play this game. Simple."

"Let me get this straight. You broke into my home, you stole my scythe, and the only thing you want from me is to play a game I've played and beaten dozens of times over?"

"Precisely," Gihen replied.

"You honestly think I'm that stupid?" I asked.

Gihen feigned a shocked look. "Why, Cyrus…are you accusing me of deception?"

"Does Zidane have a thing for Princess Garnet?" I retorted.

"You are making things a lot harder than they have to be," Gihen replied with a sigh. "Perhaps what you need is a little motivation. Hmm, how about this then? Either you play this game and finish it, or I keep your precious scythe as my own personal trophy."

Gihen's threat snapped my patience completely as I rushed him without thinking. As I swung with my right fist, Gihen vanished from sight. My punch hit nothing except air as I felt a blade press against my throat seconds later.

"Tell me, what part of 'powers beyond your abilities' did you have trouble understanding?" Gihen whispered mockingly from behind me, holding Final Chapter's blade tight on my neck. I dared not swallow the bile forming in my throat as Gihen continued, "Just play the game, Exile. We'll be in touch."

"What do you mean, 'we?'" I croaked out as Gihen laughed and vanished once again, taking my scythe with him. In his place, lying on the floor, was the copy of Final Fantasy IX he had conjured from out of nowhere.

Tentatively, I knelt down and picked up the game case. Unlike a lot of other Playstation games nowadays, this copy of Final Fantasy IX seemed to be flawless. I opened the case and saw that the discs had no signs of wear and tear, not even a single scratch. Even the manual was in pristine condition.

I knew there was something wrong. In fact, every single one of my brain cells was screaming, telling me that playing this game was a bad idea. But one thought kept pushing itself to the forefront…

"_You heard the crazy man in the gold suit. The only way you'll get Final Chapter back is to play the damn game. Besides, it's just Final Fantasy IX...what's the worst that could happen?"_

What's the worst that could happen…those are certainly some famous last words.

At any rate, I walked over to my Playstation 2, opened the console's disc port, and inserted Disc 1 of Final Fantasy IX. After grabbing my controller and sitting down in front of the TV, I saw the familiar loading and title screen fade in. I took a deep breath as I moved the cursor to "New Game" and pressed the X button.

It was at that point that everything went straight to hell.

Instead of the opening cinematic, my TV screen started to pulse bright white. The pulsations combined with the blinding light disoriented me, even caused me to start blacking out. As the light consumed my senses and I started to fade into unconsciousness, I heard one last thing:

"_**Wayward Warrior…your true journey is about to begin…"**_

**

* * *

**

I awoke with a throbbing headache as my eyes struggled to regain their focus. As I was regaining my sight, I managed to get back to my feet. I was beginning to see clearly again when I heard something strange…

…the sounds of birds chirping overhead.

My eyes finally focused as I realized that, instead of standing in the Exile's Lair, I found myself in the middle of a meadow, long abandoned fields all around me. There, in the distance to the north, stood a large white castle between a rustic hamlet and a large, crystal-blue lake. Bells were chiming and echoing across the fields as the castle's most striking feature, a large sword pointing towards the heavens, shimmered in the sunlight.

It was then that I realized two things.

One, the city I was staring at in the distance was Alexandria.

And two, by means unknown, I had wound up in the Final Fantasy IX universe.

"Oh, hell in a hand-basket," I said. "That bastard put me in a SELF-INSERT!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**So, some demonic-looking prick sent me careening into Final Fantasy IX. But why? And what role will I play within the game's storyline?**

**Next Chapter: "How to Slay a Monster: Final Fantasy IX Style!"**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	3. How to Slay a Monster FFIX Style!

When confronted with a new situation, people usually react to it in two different ways. Some people completely freak out, curl into a fetal position, and start sucking on their thumbs hoping that it's all just a big, scary dream. Others start screaming their heads off as they start wrecking everything around them in a blind rage, hoping that throwing a tantrum will change their fortune.

Me? I've just been transported into Final Fantasy IX without my trusty weapon by some kooky demon. On top of that, my familiar, comfortable cloak was replaced with a large brown leather overcoat (thankfully, with a hood) worn over a dark red Old World-styled button-up shirt, brown pants, and heavy black leather boots.

How, you may ask, did I adapt to the situation?

"GIHEN!" I screamed as I frantically searched for the deceptive spirit. "What the hell is this? Your 'project' is for me to wander around Gaia?! You've got three seconds to show your face and explain yourself. Otherwise, I'm going to find you and turn your skull into an ASHTRAY!"

"Wow…you need to relax," the familiar, sinister voice of Gihen answered from above. I looked up and saw Gihen. The demon was now dressed in a tunic made from burlap and lying on top of Final Chapter in mid-air like a witch on a broomstick. He just hovered there, nonchalantly as he never looked at me directly.

"Welcome, Cyrus. I see you started playing my little game," Gihen said in an off-handed manner.

Watching the spirit use my scythe as a hammock did little to sate my anger. "You pale-skinned son of a bitch! Come down here so I can kick your ass!"

Gihen dismissed my threat with a wave of his hand as he explained, "Sorry, Exile. A fight between you and me isn't what I had in mind. Now, just calm down and I'll explain what you're doing here."

The demon conjured a tankard of ale as he gulped the beverage down. "Ah, that's refreshing. Anyway, I've brought you into this world as part of an experiment. Many people desire to experience their favorite games as one of the characters. I'm interested to see what would actually happen. So, after doing a little perusing and searching for just the right mortal to play my game, I found you. You should be honored."

"Why me?" I demanded. "What the hell's so special about me?"

"Hmm, well, that's a bit complicated. But, that's something you needn't worry about right now. You really should be more concerned with making your way to Alexandria."

"To hell with that!" I shouted, shaking my fist at the hovering spirit. "I'm not going anywhere until you give me back my scythe!"

"I would, but I'm using it right now. So sorry," Gihen replied condescendingly. "Besides, you have everything you need for your journey. Even without Final Chapter, you should be more than capable of handling anything that comes your way…after you've gained the experience, of course."

"What are you babbling about?!" I ranted. I was about to look for a rock or something to throw at Gihen when I heard a growl coming from a nearby forest. Acting on instinct, I turned to face the source of the growl.

Seconds later, a large beast pounced from the trees and landed several yards away from where I was standing. This monster looked like a large dog with tan fur and a large, curly tail. Unlike a regular dog, this beast had pupil-less green eyes, huge floppy ears, a large maw lined with razor-sharp teeth, and a massive tentacle-like tongue.

I recognized it immediately as a bandersnatch, a monster native to the Alexandrian Plateau. I also knew that bandersnatches were by no means the easiest monsters a new traveler could come across. They were vicious monsters that used lightning magic and could put an enemy to sleep just by licking them.

My hands naturally reached for Final Chapter, until my brain realized that Gihen still had Final Chapter in his possession. I looked up at Gihen as he waved goodbye and vanished in a flash of light, leaving me alone with the bandersnatch, which had caught a whiff of my scent.

"This is really not my day," I muttered.

_**(Play Final Fantasy IX-Normal Battle Theme)**_

The bandersnatch lunged at me, its jaws looking to tear me in half. It took everything I had to dodge the monster's initial lunge as I rolled to my right. In a flash, the bandersnatch turned as it planted its paws deep into the ground.

Seconds later, a massive bolt of lightning flashed from the skies and struck me squarely in the chest. Every nerve in my body screamed in agony as the electricity coursed through me, leaving me drained.

Still, even though the spell hurt like hell, I was still able to stay on my feet. Which was a good thing, as the bandersnatch was rapidly running towards me, its tongue flapping loosely out the side of its mouth. I quickly shook the cobwebs out of my head as I reached on the ground for a large stone and hurled it at the bandersnatch. The stone hit the bandersnatch squarely in the forehead, halting its advance. The bandersnatch shook its head to rid itself of the pain as I quickly scanned the plateau for anything I could use as a weapon.

As fate would have it, there was a rusty old farming scythe sticking out in the middle of one of the plateau's abandoned fields. Unfortunately, standing between me and that scythe was the bandersnatch, who now was quite furious with me. The dog-like monster again tried to lunge at me, forcing me to dodge again. However, this time the bandersnatch managed to hit me with one of his massive paws, forcing me to the ground and knocking the wind out of me. I gasped for breath as the bandersnatch pounced on top of me, its drool sliding from its jaws onto my new outfit.

Thoroughly disgusted, I managed to free my legs and drive both my feet hard into the monster's chin, stunning it and forcing it to back off. Taking advantage of the situation, I quickly scrambled back to my feet and ran for the rusty scythe. The bandersnatch had just regained its senses just as I had managed to reach the farming implement and wrenched it from the ground.

This scythe was a rusted, dull piece of shit. Its shaft was wooden and completely warped, making it difficult to get a decent grip on it. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers as the bandersnatch turned to face me and my newly-acquired makeshift weapon. I settled into my familiar ready-stance as the bandersnatch leapt and bounded towards me.

Before it could sink its jaws into me, I blocked its maw with the shaft of the scythe. Not wanting to wait too long and let the bandersnatch snap the warped wood shaft with its teeth, I quickly reeled back and drove my right fist into the monster's left eye. The bandersnatch whelped in pain as I saw my opening.

"You screwed with the wrong Exile, dog!" I shouted as I rushed the bandersnatch, the rusty scythe held high in the air. Despite being rusted and dull, the scythe's blade still had a decent point as I drove it down on top of the bandersnatch's head.

The scythe blade lodged itself deep in the bandersnatch's brain, killing the monster instantly. The beast fell to the ground in a heap as I removed the blade and flicked off the gray matter

_**(End Music)**_

"God damn it," I muttered as I struggled to calm my breathing. Once I managed to regain my breath, I looked at the rusty scythe that I now held in my hands.

"Well," I said aloud, "you might not be Final Chapter, but you'll do for now."

"Glad to see you and that weapon are getting along so well," the now-familiar mocking voice of Gihen announced from overhead. I looked up to see the demon hovering above me, holding Final Chapter crucifix-style on his shoulders.

"You son of a bitch!" I shouted, pointing the rusty scythe at Gihen. "What the hell was that? You leave me to get blindsided by a damn bandersnatch?"

"'Blindsided?' You don't get it, do you? That's all part of the game. And just so you know, that bandersnatch you just killed was just a mere puppy. Didn't you find it strange that its lightning spell only wounded you? As I'm sure you know, full-grown bandersnatches cast Thundara, a spell that, if you were hit with, would have killed you at your current level. So stop whining, okay?"

"Screw you!" I retorted. "Just give me back Final Chapter!"

"Now, why would I do that?" Gihen asked. "It seems to me you already have a perfectly good weapon. Besides, you of all people should know that getting an ultimate weapon like Final Chapter doesn't just happen in the first few minutes of the game. You've got to work for it."

Seething, but realizing that this conversation wasn't going anywhere, I sighed as I shouldered the rusty scythe. "Grr…fine. It seems I don't really have a choice, do I? So, what am I supposed to do?"

"Just play the game, Cyrus. That's it. There's no grand secret or anything like that. However, if I may offer some advice, I'd suggest you make your way to Alexandria quickly. After all, the show's on its way."

With that, Gihen pointed off towards the edge of the plateau as I turned my gaze in that direction. There, emerging from the thick Mist that covered this entire continent, was a large wooden airship heading for Alexandria Castle. It floated gently in the air, propped up by a series of propellers. The bells of Alexandria Castle rang in acknowledgement of the approaching vessel.

"The Prima Vista…" I muttered to myself.

"I hear Tantalus is putting on a unique show tonight. You'd better hurry if you want to get there in time for the opening act."

With that, Gihen vanished along with Final Chapter. Alone once again, I shook my head in disbelief at the demon's cocksure attitude, but sighed and decided not to dwell on it. After all, I was stuck in Final Fantasy IX, and Gihen seemed to be the only one who could get me back home…back to the Long and Winding Road.

And I knew that, given Gihen's insistence that I play along, I wasn't going anywhere unless I did just that.

With that, I shouldered that rusty scythe (seeing as I didn't have a sheath or anything to hold it in) and started heading for Alexandria on foot. Even with knowing Final Fantasy IX as well as anyone, I had a sneaking suspicion that this particular journey would still have plenty of surprises just waiting for me.

"_One step at a time, Truth," _I reminded myself as I kept walking, inching closer and closer to Alexandria.

* * *

_**New Weapon: **__**Rusty Scythe**_

_**Description: A rusted and well-worn farmer's scythe. Not suitable for battle.**_

_**Abilities Learned: Bug Killer, Bird Killer**_

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**

**Author's Notes:**

**At the end of every chapter, when Cyrus Truth (yours truly) picks up a new weapon or uses a new attack, I'll be sure to post a description of the weapon or attack. This, plus the music for key battles and moments, is something I've borrowed from the Duelist of Dawn (who's epic in his own right), so thanks bro!**

**Thanks to Duelist, butherthegirl, and BestinInfluence for the reviews! Three reviewers, three awesome writers. So why are you still here? Check out their stuff!**

**...you still here? Then you best be leaving a review. THEN you go and check out their stuff!**

**Next Chapter: "Dinner, a Show, and Explosions!"**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	4. Dinner, a Show, and Explosions!

After an hour of walking, I finally managed to make it to Alexandria's front gates. The sun was starting to set as the Prima Vista was carefully maneuvering towards the castle. With the rusty scythe still sitting on my shoulder, I made my way towards the pair of female guards at the gate.

"Halt!" one of the Alexandrian soldiers barked as both intercepted me before I could enter the city. "Who are you and what is your business here in Alexandria?"

"My name is Cyrus Truth," I replied nonchalantly. "And I'm a simple traveler. I'm here to rest up for a day or so before moving on. I also hear that Tantalus is in town performing 'I Want to Be Your Canary,' so I'm also looking for a nice rooftop to catch the show."

The soldiers, young women wearing a steel breastplate over a dark green singlet, looked me over before one of them finally said, "All right, but what about that scythe you're carrying? Don't tell me that's your weapon!"

"And what if it is?" I rebutted. "Trust me, with a scythe in my hands, I'm more than capable of handling whatever the Mist can throw at me."

"But…it looks more like a farming tool than a weapon," the second soldier stated.

"Look, am I allow to enter the city or not?" I demanded.

Both the soldiers looked at each other for a second before one answered, "Very well. But cause any trouble and you'll be spending the night in the dungeon. Understand?"

I simply nodded as I walked past the soldiers and took my first step into Alexandria. I had to admit, exploring the city in person was way more enthralling than exploring it back when it was still just a game. The sights and sounds of this rustic hamlet encompassed my senses as I strolled down the familiar alley towards the town center. The sounds of children laughing, the smell of freshly-clipped roses, and the general jovial atmosphere of the Alexandrians made me forget for a minute that I was a prisoner in this world.

I was just passing by the tavern when I caught a whiff of freshly-baked bread and roasted meat. My stomach started to growl violently as I decided that now was as good a time to get something to eat. I entered the tavern as my eyes immediately searched the floor in several specific places, hoping that this world really was the one from the game.

As luck would have it, the "real" Gaia mimicked the virtual one as I managed to collect some Gil from the floor of the tavern. Granted, it was only roughly one hundred Gil, but it was more than I had and was more than enough to get a meal. I walked up to the bar as the bartender finished cleaning a glass and greeted me.

"Welcome, stranger!" the bartender exclaimed. "The name's Ashley. What can I get you?"

"Something to eat and drink," I plainly answered. "I'm a bit strapped for Gil, so whatever you got that's cheap and tasty is fine by me."

"No problem," Ashley replied. "We've got some roasted axe beak and some of the best ale in town. I can get you that for thirty Gil."

"That'll work," I agreed as I handed the bartender thirty Gil coins. Ashley took the money as he poured me a tankard of ale and went to the kitchen to fetch my food. I took a drink from the tankard as a red mage at the other end of the bar kept staring at me.

"Sorry, pal. I don't swing that way," I told the nosy red mage.

The mage, somewhat agitated by my comment, shook his head as he replied, "Yeah, I haven't had nearly enough to drink, but thanks anyway. It's just that you don't see too many alchemists anymore these days."

"Alchemists?" I blurted. "You think I'm an alchemist?"

"What, are ya stupid?" the red mage retorted. "Only alchemists wear that kind of get-up. Big coat, way too many pockets…hell, if you ain't an alchemist then I'm not drunk!"

"I…see," I muttered as Ashley returned with my meal. The red mage returned to nursing his drink as I started to dig into my food. As I was eating, my mind started racing with what I knew about Final Fantasy alchemists.

"_Alchemists…sometimes called chemists. Specialists in mixing items and using unique items for attacks. So, if that red mage is correct, that's my job class. Interesting. But how am I supposed to know what combinations do what? Damn it, Gihen. You could have at least given me a guide or something…"_

I decided that thinking too much about it wasn't going to do me any good as I finished my meal. I thanked Ashley for the meal as I emptied my tankard and walked out of the tavern. Finding a nice shady spot in the street, I took the opportunity to really examine my new gear in greater detail.

Sure enough, as the red mage said, my new overcoat had dozens of interior pockets, presumably to carry any number of strange and exotic items I'd be collecting on my journey. As I patted down the pockets lining my coat, I discovered a piece of old parchment in one of them. Curious, I took the parchment out and unfolded it. On the parchment was some scribbles that were mostly unintelligible, but there was one section that was legible:

"_**Proper synthesis of items requires not just simply mixing items together. It requires a working knowledge of the magical arts as well. The best alchemists know that, when creating new potions and items, that the use of magical seals and runes greatly improves the quality of the creations. Proper manipulation of the four basic elements through the use of seals is essential in true alchemy and in the pursuit of the alchemist's penultimate goal: the triumph of life over death…"**_

I reread the passage over and over, trying to make sense of it. It was then that I noticed something peculiar on the palms of my hands. There, like a series of tattoos, were two large circular seals surrounding dozens of runes and symbols. Knowing full well that those seals weren't there before I entered the realm of Final Fantasy IX, I had to assume that they were the seals that the parchment was talking about.

That still didn't tell me how to use them or what to combine, but at least I was making some progress. Until I learned how to use my new abilities, I'd just have to rely on my scythe.

I pocketed the piece of parchment as I slung the rusty scythe on my shoulder and headed for the center of town. The sun was starting to set rapidly as a thought occurred to me. I walked up to the dog-like ticket master, who at that point was closing his tent in the center of the town square, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Sorry, sir!" the demi-human barked as he turned to face me. "All tickets to the performance tonight have been sold. It's a full house, so if you want to see the play, you'd best be finding a spot on the rooftops."

"I understand, but that's not what I wanted to ask you," I replied. "Did you happen to see a young boy stop by here? He wore a blue coat and a pointy hat."

The ticket master thought for a second before answering, "Oh, yes! That young lad! Poor boy had a fake ticket. He was so sad that I gave him a few cards to cheer him up. I think he headed for the alley over there to find Alleyway Jack. That was…oh, ten or fifteen minutes ago."

"I see," I muttered. The ticket master shot me a strange look as I said, "Oh, right! Yeah, he's a friend of mine. I heard he was in town and just wanted to say hi. Thanks for the information!"

Satisfied with my response, the ticket master nodded as he went back to work taking his tent down. Knowing that a certain black mage had already been there and was sneaking into the show via the rooftops, I knew where I had to go.

With that, I jogged over to the alleyway to my left as I turned the corner. There, past a large house, was a familiar-looking chapel. I walked towards the chapel and entered the somewhat dilapidated structure. Nostalgia started to set in as I looked all around the tiny chapel, remembering first exploring this area during my first playthrough of the game.

It was there, in the center of the circular chapel near the ladder leading up to the bell, that I noticed another familiar sight. It was a two-foot tall cat-like creature with white fur, bat-like wings, and a large red ball of fluff protruding from its forehead. The creature took notice of me as it hopped in place.

"Kupo!" the creature, which I immediately recognized as a moogle, shouted as he waddled over to me on his short, stubby legs. "My name's Kupo, kupo! What are you doing here? Are you friends with Puck, kupo?"

"Um, not really," I admitted. "I'm just looking to catch the play. Can I get up to the rooftops from here?"

"Kupo!" the moogle, Kupo, replied with a nod. "There's a hole in the bell tower at the top. You can crawl out it and get onto the roofs. That's where Puck and his new slave went just a few minutes ago, kupo!"

"Right…" I muttered as I headed for the ladder leading up to the chapel's bell. Before I could start climbing, Kupo grabbed my coattail, stopping me.

"Hold on, kupo!" Kupo pleaded as I turned to face him. He then held out an envelope as he looked up at me. "You look like a strong traveler, kupo. One who travels to a lot of different places, kupo! I have a favor to ask you. You see, we moogles communicate through a mailing system called Mognet! But Mognet's been pretty spotty as of late, kupo. So, if you don't mind, I'd like you to help me out by delivering some mail for me, kupo! Please?"

Kupo looked at me pleadingly. Even if I wanted to say no, the moogle's overly-cute begging face made refusing impossible.

"All right. Who am I delivering this to?" I asked as I took the letter from Kupo and slid it into one of my coat pockets.

"Kupo!" Kupo shouted in excitement. "Please take that letter to Monty, kupo! Thank you, thank you, thank you, kupo!"

"No problem," I said with a mock salute as I turned my attention back to the ladder. Kupo continued to hop up and down excitedly as I started to climb. Despite having to lug around the rusty scythe, I managed to climb up the ladder relatively quickly. Once I reached the bell, I saw the opening Kupo had mentioned and stepped out onto the roof of an adjacent house.

From my new position, I could see the scaffolding that led to the inside of the castle walls off in the distance. Grinning, I started to make my way across the rooftops as quickly as I could as the sun was getting closer to dipping below the horizon. Night finally descended fully as I made it to the scaffolding and into the castle itself.

The twin moons of Gaia, one red and one blue, gave me just enough light to navigate the ramparts and find where the audience of nobles and other honored guests of the Kingdom of Alexandria were sitting for the show. Behind them, trying to stay hidden yet get a good glimpse of the stage, were two kids. One was a rat kid wearing a blue shirt under dingy red overalls and a red cap. The other kid wore a well-traveled blue coat, light green-striped white pants, and a large steepled hat. His face was obscured by a black haze, pierced only by a pair of circular, yellow eyes.

"_Vivi…" _I mentally noted as I searched for a dark corner with a good view of the play. It was then that everyone started to clap their hands. The rat kid (whose name was Puck) and Vivi started clapping as well as the orchestra aboard the Prima Vista started to play a lively, upbeat tune. As they played, the Prima Vista's stage started to shift and move, revealing the faux castle scenery that Tantalus would be performing their play. Fireworks and various other noisemakers served to rile up the crowd even more…especially one in particular.

Shouting over the crowd's applause and the fireworks was a large, corpulent, blue-skinned humanoid wearing a red robe and a gaudy crown with large tassels on the sides and a flower made of gold "growing" out of its top. She was dancing around as her numerous folds of gelatinous fat jiggled and shifted, making me want to throw up.

"_Damn…Queen Brahne is uglier than I ever imagined," _I thought as I turned my attention back to the stage, just as a large, tapir-like demi-human with a large bushy beard wearing an outfit fit for a king stepped out onto center stage to address the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago. Our heroine, Princess Cornelia, is torn from her lover Marcus. She attempts to flee the castle, only to be captured by her father, King Leo. When our story begins, Marcus, having heard of this, crosses swords with the king. And now, Your Royal Majesty Queen Brahne, Your Highness Princess Garnet…noble ladies and lords, and all our rooftop viewers, Tantalus proudly presents "I Want to Be Your Canary!"

The orchestra started to play a foreboding tune as the tapir-man, who I recognized as Baku, bowed and backed into position. At that point, he had settled into his role as King Leo as he was quickly flanked by two other demi-humans wearing leather masks. I recognized them as the brothers Benero and Zenero. They were soon joined onstage by a man wearing a blue shirt, a leather belt across his chest Pancho Villa-style holding his sword's scabbard, and a bandana that covered his eyes. The man drew his sword and faced the king as a trio of voices shouted from off-stage:

_**(Play Final Fantasy IX-Feel My Blade)**_

"Bereft of father! Bereft of mother! Marcus, thou hast lost even thy love!"

"Fortune hath escap'd thee! For what end shalt thou live?"

"For the sake of our friend…let us bury our steel in the heart of the wretched King Leo!"

"Aye!" the first two voices exclaimed in agreement as three new characters ran out onto stage from my left. One was a portly man who looked completely disheveled wielding a small hammer. Another was a red-haired man who wore a series of belts across his chest, waist, and even on his forehead. The third was a blonde-haired young man wearing a blue vest and pants with a tail. Both he and the red-haired man carried swords as they joined the man in the bandana, Marcus.

"We shall back thee, kinsman!" the red-haired man announced.

"Nay, sheathe thy swords!" Marcus protested. "This villain is mine alone!"

"Nay, kinsman!" the portly man with the hammer interjected. "For I, too, have lost a brother to this fiend!"

Marcus nodded slightly as the four men readied their weapons. Baku, or rather, King Leo, looked angered as his two "guards" shook their clawed fists at their opponents.

"What, ho?" the King exclaimed as he drew a massive jagged-edged sword. "Out,vermin! Away! Thou bare thy swords against the king?! All who stand in my way will be crush'd!"

The blonde man with the tail stood steadfast as he proclaimed, "Treacherous Leo, my kinsman's suffering will not be in vain! For I shall instruct thee with his incomparable pain!"

With that, Marcus struck first, striking his sword with King Leo's. The red-haired man and the hammer-wielder then attacked the two guards as the young man with the tail "focused" his energy and shouted, "Face the wrath of the heavens! Medeo!"

Some flashes appeared above stage as a large meteorite crashed onto stage. I knew it was just special effects, but King Leo and his servants sold the attack well and the audience ate it up. Benero and Zenero fell to the spell and the two rebels that attacked them, giving the audience something to cheer at.

"Worthless fools!" the irate King Leo shouted as he pushed Marcus back. "Thou may hath fell my guards, but I will not fall so easily! Poly!"

A large, Holy-like orb appeared over the hammer-wielder's head as it rained down streams of light on top of its target. The portly man clutched his chest as he fell to the ground, seemingly defeated. The crowd gasped in shock at the man's apparent death.

"Cinna!" the tailed man exclaimed. He then turned to King Leo and said with a menacing tone, "No more, King Leo! Prepare thyself to feel my blade!"

The crowd roared at the tailed man's rage for the fallen Cinna as he rushed King Leo. The king held his ground as he roared defiantly, "Taste steel, peasant!"

The tailed man and the king crossed blades as they attempted to land a blow on their respective opponent. The red-haired swordsman stood back as Marcus reeled back and unleashed another special effect, this time in the shape of a small flame twister that emerged from behind King Leo. The malicious monarch took notice of the "Pyro" spell as he quickly leapt to his left, leaving himself open.

"Strike him now, Marcus!" the tailed man shouted as Marcus nodded and rushed at King Leo. The king could not stop the rush as both Marcus and the tailed man struck him simultaneously with sword slashes, leaving the king "wounded" as he fell to one knee.

_**(End Music)**_

"Argh…" King Leo groaned as he got back to his feet. He started to make his way to a flight of stairs stage left. "Grr…thou hast not seen the last of me, Marcus!"

"Come back!" the tailed man shouted as he ran after King Leo. Before he could reach him, he was blocked by the red-headed swordsman.

"Out of the way, Blank!"

The red-haired man, Blank, shook his head as he pointed his sword at the tailed man. "Consider this, Zidane! If Prince Schneider were to marry Princess Cornelia, peace would reign over both their kingdoms!"

"Tis foolishness!" the tailed man, Zidane retorted. "If all were so easy, why, none would suffer in this world!"

_**(Play Final Fantasy IX-Vamo Alla Flameco)**_

Blank smirked as he backed onto the ramparts, Zidane following close behind. Zidane attacked first, slashing at Blank, forcing him to duck. Blank then retaliated with a slash of his own, which Zidane sidestepped to avoid. Both men then went for a vicious overhead chop, which resulted in their blades clanging into each other.

After this initial exchange, Blank leapt off from the scenery and towards the walkway in front of the audience. Zidane gave chase as he met his adversary in front of all the nobles, crossing his sword with Blank's.

"En garde!"

"Expect no quarter from me!"

Blank and Zidane then engaged in an impressive mock swordfight, complete with clashing steel, artful dodging, and acrobatics. One scene in particular that really caught the crowd's attention was when Blank went for a horizontal slash on Zidane's torso, only for the tailed man to perform a flawless backflip. The two clashed swords together one last time as Blank muttered just loud enough for the audience to hear:

"We shall finish this another time."

With that, Blank ran stage right straight into the castle. Zidane, with a look of shock, gave chase as he shouted, "Come back here!"

As Zidane disappeared into the castle, the crowd roared in enjoyment. Queen Brahne, in particular, was applauding loudly as she and the rest of the nobles were throwing Gil on stage as a token of their appreciation.

_**(End Music)**_

"_Impressive," _I thought with a smile. _"Tantalus may be a band of thieves, but they sure can put on one hell of a performance. And that was a clever move taking the opportunity to sneak into the castle. Well done."_

I turned my attention back over to where Vivi and Puck were standing, but I saw that they had moved. Instead of hiding behind the crowd, the two kids had headed for the front row, seemingly to get a better view of the play. I, however, decided to stay in the shadows as Marcus, alone on stage with the "dead" Cinna, started to speak again.

"What cruel jest the heavens doth play on me tonight! My kinsman slain, my brothers fighting one another, and my beloved held captive by that demon King Leo…my heart is torn asunder, my soul weighted by despair. But no…I shall not give in to my sorrow! I shall find my beloved Cornelia, and free my beautiful canary from the cage of her hard-hearted father. Cornelia! I shall be with you before night's end!"

With that, Marcus ran off the stage as the lights dimmed, signaling a scene change. The crowd clapped vigorously, showing their approval for Tantalus's performance. I clapped too, as seeing the play in person was a hell of an experience. After the applause died down, the crowd started to murmur amongst themselves, leaving me to assume that we had reached an intermission of sorts.

"_Okay, now what do I do?" _I ask myself. _"Right now, Zidane and Blank are probably looking for Garnet, if they hadn't found her already. That means that Steiner's going to be close behind. Do I just wait here for them to come swinging in? Can I even get away with sneaking around the castle? Do I even want to?"_

As my brain continued running through several different plans for close to five minutes, the stage was once again illuminated. From what I remember from the game, this scene was where Marcus tried to sneak into Cornelia's chamber to whisk her away from her father's clutches. My attention was elsewhere as I searched the towers looming overhead, looking for a sign…

After a few minutes of searching, I saw something on the tower to my left. There, being chased by Zidane, was a petite girl in a white mage's robe running in circles. They continued this chase for a good two minutes before I looked over to the other tower. Standing there was a knight in rusted armor, shaking his fists in anger. He jumped up and down excitedly as the girl in the first tower climbed on the stone barrier surrounding the tower, grabbed one of the lines holding the festive banners in place, and fell backwards. Zidane and the knight, both in shock, grabbed lines of their own and chased after the girl. The girl and Zidane swung and landed on a soft section of the ship and slid down into the orchestra's balcony. The knight, however, completely veered off-course and slammed right into one of the Prima Vista's propeller towers. Surprisingly, the crowd was so into the play that they completely missed the three of them swinging around on the ropes like Tarzan.

I snickered a little as my attention was redirected to the stage. Marcus, attempting to climb one of the stage's faux towers, was intercepted by Benero and Zenero. Valiantly, Marcus attempted to hold them off with his sword, but one of the leather-masked demi-humans managed to grab a hold of him and wrestle him to the ground. The other grabbed Marcus's sword and tossed it aside as he helped his brother lift Marcus up and drag him away stage left. The crowd gasped at this new development as Vivi cupped his mouth with his hands in surprise, something Puck chuckled at.

Several minutes later, Baku in his King Leo regalia stepped out from stage right, looking rather pleased with himself. I couldn't help but wonder if that was just him playing his character, or from him knowing his boys were kidnapping the princess.

"Tonight, I shall finally see my daughter Cornelia betroth'd to Prince Schneider. And then Prince Schneider and his kingdom will be mine! Gwahahahaha!"

At that moment, Benero and Zenero dragged Marcus out to the middle of the stage. "Your Majesty! We have caught an intruder!"

"Why, my poor Marcus!" King Leo said condescendingly. He then turned his back to Marcus as he continued, "Hark, lad! No matter how much thou dost treasure Cornelia…no matter how deeply she might believe she doth love thee…never shall I see her marry a peasant such as thee! When yonder bell strikes three…under the axe thou shall be!"

The bell started to toll. On the second ring, King Leo turned to face Marcus again.

"Furthermore…"

King Leo was interrupted by two platforms rising from below stage. The surprise was evident on his face as Zidane rose up with the girl in white and the knight arose from a separate platform.

The characters in the play muttered something amongst themselves before Marcus freed himself from Leo's guards and shouted, "Cornelia!"

A few seconds later, the girl in white ran to Marcus and embraced him, shouting his name. The knight stood there dumbfounded as the actors improvised the scene.

"Oh Marcus, I missed you so. I wish never to leave thy side. Prithee, lead me from this place!"

"See, King Leo? Thou shouldst give them thy blessing!" Zidane suggested.

King Leo appeared to contemplate it for a second as he started walking towards the knight. "Never! Never leave his side, thou sayest? Foolish banter! I'll not allow it! Cornelia shall marry none other than this man, Prince Schneider! Is that not so, Prince Schneider?"

King Leo clapped his hand on the knight's shoulder as the knight looked confused. "M-marry the princess? Me?!"

"Aye!" the king replied, ignoring the knight's astonished expression. "And this traitorous crew, I shall put to death!"

King Leo motioned for Benero and Zenero to attack Zidane and Marcus. The two men, however, overpowered the two identical guards, forcing them to run in terror. King Leo then turned his attention back to the girl in white.

"Pray, sweet daughter, come home to the castle with me," the king pleaded.

"Nay, father!" the girl in white retorted. "I shan't return!"

"Cornelia...trouble me no more. This wedding is for thine own welfare. Be mindful of that," King Leo chided.

"Not if I can help it!" Marcus interjected, drawing his sword. "Now is my moment of vengeance. For my parents, and for my love Cornelia…I shall cut thee down!"

Marcus shouted as he ran towards King Leo, looking to drive his sword into the wretched king. However, his sword instead "pierced" the girl in white, "killing" her.

"No, Cornelia!" Marcus exclaimed.

"Marcus…forgive me…I still love…my father," the girl in white muttered as she fell to the ground.

At that point, both the king and the knight started to weep over the fallen girl. I couldn't quite hear what they were saying, as the crowd started to sob and shout over the tragedy that had just played out in front of him. In an act of despair, Marcus drove his own sword into his side in an attempt to be with his beloved in death. Zidane shouted his friend's name as Marcus fell to the ground next to the girl in white.

Had I not known what was going to happen, I may have gotten a little teary-eyed too. However, my mind was already racing with what was going to happen next…

"Hey you!" a knight in dingy armor shouted at me, having seen me. I turned to face him and his partner, both of them having drawn their swords.

"You there! You must've kidnapped the princess! Stay where you are, villain!"

"Yeah…about that..." I replied before turning and running down the center aisle, past a very shocked crowd. The two knights pursued me as Puck noticed me getting closer to him and Vivi.

"Uh-oh!" the rat kid shouted. "Time to run!"

Vivi looked confused as Puck simply dashed away to some new hiding spot. Vivi, seeing me with my rusty scythe being followed by two very pissed-off knights, started running towards the Prima Vista's stage in fright. I followed him as the two knights continued shouting at me, trying to get me to stop.

Vivi ran in a circle around the cast, who for some reason was still able to maintain character (save for the knight who was legitimately weeping). The pint-sized black mage hopped over the fallen girl in white as he held his hands out in front of him. Knowing what was coming up, I stopped just on the other side of the girl as the two knights grabbed my arms.

"Ha ha!" the knight on my left shouted. "Got you!"

"Don't come any closer!" Vivi shouted, afraid and confused. Seconds later, the black mage conjured up a Fire spell…however, instead of hitting me, the spell hit the girl in white, igniting her robe. Immediately, she hopped up as she quickly rid herself of her robe, revealing a lovely brunette wearing a white blouse under an orange jumper. The crowd gasped in realization as the knight on my right stuttered, "P-princess Garnet?"

Taking advantage of their distraction, I wrenched my arms from their grasp as I picked up the rusty scythe and held it behind me, its blade ready to strike. Baku, having decided that the show was over, shouted to Zidane, "Zidane! It's time to go!"

Zidane nodded as he turned to Garnet, "Princess! Let's get outta here!"

The large knight who had been weeping now stood erect as he blurted out, "What…what is going on?"

"Steiner! Don't follow me anymore!" Garnet ordered the knight.

"Captain!" one of the knights who had squared off against me shouted to the man called Steiner. "Sir! Awaiting orders, sir!"

Steiner seemed to be conflicted before he finally said to Garnet, "Princess! I'm afraid I cannot comply!"

Garnet shook her head in dismay. "Stubborn as always, aren't you?"

"Come on, Princess!" Zidane insisted. "Let's ditch Sir Rustalot and get out of here!"

I turned my head slightly so I could look over at Zidane. "Hey, monkey-boy! You take care of the Princess! I'll handle these two stooges!"

Zidane, a little shocked at my offer of help, quickly decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth as he replied, "All right, stranger! Thanks for the help!"

With that, I turned my attention back to the two knights in front of me as Zidane checked on Vivi, who had been knocked back by the force of his spell. After making sure the black mage was all right and helping him back to his feet, Zidane turned his attention back to Steiner as the thief drew his daggers.

"Princess, I cannot allow you to go! Weimar, Haagen! Deal with that brigand and seize these scoundrels at once!"

"Yes, sir!" Weimar and Haagen, the two knights in front of me, shouted in response as they rushed me, swords drawn. Steiner drew his own sword as he faced off against Zidane and Marcus.

"_Things just got a whole lot more interesting," _I thought with a smirk as I tightened my grip on the rusty scythe and prepared myself for a fight.

_**(Play "Silver Will" by the Falcom JDK Band)**_

"Prepare to feel my fury!" Haagen shouted as he took the lead, rushing towards me with his sword held high. I sidestepped to dodge the knight's overhead chop as Weimar was next in line, hoping to succeed where Haagen had failed.

"Nice try," I muttered as I blocked Weimar's sword with my rusty scythe. Haagen, thinking he had an opening, turned and ran to skewer me from behind. However, knowing what the knight was thinking, I sidestepped again just in time, breaking my block of Weimar's sword and allowing Haagen to collide with his partner. The two knights tumbled down onto the stage as I stood tall, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Seriously?" I taunted. "That's the best you can do? I thought you two were knights! Knights are supposed to know how to fight, for Truth's sake!"

That seemed to get Weimar and Haagen riled up. Both knights tightened their grips on their swords as they got back to their feet.

"You think you can make fools out of the Pluto Knights?!" Weimar roared as both he and Haagen lunged at me at the same time, presumably to overwhelm me. I simply smiled as I turned my scythe so that the blade was facing behind me and swung the scythe shaft as hard as I could left. The shaft connected with the flat part of both knights' swords, wrenching the blades from their hands and sending them flying off the stage. Disarmed, Weimar and Haagen looked shocked as I stood there, my scythe resting on my left shoulder and a broad, wicked smile on my face.

"My…my fury ends here…" Haagen stuttered as he turned tail and fled.

"M…mine too," Weimar chimed in as he followed his partner. "Besides, I'm going to be late for my date!"

Both Pluto Knights ran off the Prima Vista as Steiner, holding off Zidane's daggers, shouted at them both, ordering them to come back. I simply shrugged as I turned my attention to the Pluto Knights' Captain.

"You scoundrel!" Steiner shouted at me as he used his strength to push Zidane to the ground. He turned and pointed his sword at me as he proclaimed, "How dare you aid these thieves in abducting the princess!"

"I'm not helping them," I retorted as I rushed towards Steiner. The knight reacted quickly as he brought his sword up to block my rusty scythe's blade. "I'm just doing as I please. But from what the princess was saying, it looks like she wants to get kidnapped. Far be it for me to not help the princess get what she wants!"

"You fool!" Steiner growled as he pushed me back. "The princess is being deceived by these scoundrels. But if you choose to side with them, then I will strike you down myself!"

"The odds say otherwise," I muttered as Steiner looked at me with a confused look. Seconds later, Steiner was attacked from behind by Zidane and Marcus. The thieves' blades slashed into Steiner's broad back as they drew blood. Steiner yelped in pain as he fell to one knee, while Zidane, Marcus, and I headed over to stand with Garnet and Vivi on the left side of the stage.

"Bah!" Steiner spat out as he got back to his feet. "It is only a flesh wound!"

Zidane and Marcus looked shocked at the knight's resilience. "Man!" Zidane exclaimed. "This guy just doesn't know when to quit!"

Marcus nodded as the Prima Vista started to shake and shutter. The airship started to rise as I looked over towards Queen Brahne. She was shaking her fist in anger as she motioned for her prized cannons to emerge from the castle's ramparts. Seconds later, the cannons fired harpoons at the Prima Vista, looking to halt the airship's escape. One of the harpoons struck the stage we were standing on, barely missing Princess Garnet and Vivi. The Prima Vista, after being impaled by the harpoons, struggled to free itself as its bow careened into several nearby buildings, creating a lot of havoc and destruction. The airship continued to try to wiggle free as a massive cannon emerged from the castle and fired a large, iron orb at the airship. Before it collided, the orb exploded, revealing a round, fiery monster.

"Damn it!" I shouted. "Brahne shot a bomb at us!"

The bomb laughed wickedly as it floated over to the stage, behind Steiner. And for some reason, Steiner couldn't figure out that a monster born of pure flames was hovering right behind him, growing by the second.

"Hey Rusty!" Zidane shouted, trying his hardest to maintain his footing on the rocking Prima Vista. "Look behind you!"

"Ha!" Steiner laughed as he held his sword in front of him, ready to fight. "I'll not fall for such an old trick! Prepare to face justice, you thief!"

"Please, Steiner!" Garnet pleaded. "Behind you!"

Steiner paid no attention to the princess's pleas as he rushed towards us. Shocked, Marcus attempted to block Steiner's advance with his sword, but the knight was too strong. Steiner simply shoved Marcus aside as he kept moving forward. Zidane and I stood ready to stop him when a voice from behind us shouted, "Fire!"

Vivi, his staff in hand, cast the spell on Steiner, completely enveloping the knight in magical flames. Steiner stopped to try and put himself out as Zidane and I nodded at one another. In a flash, the tailed thief and I ran towards Steiner with our weapons ready to strike. Zidane, being faster, reached Steiner first and crossed his daggers with Steiner's sword. Steiner, now focused on Zidane, pushed the thief back, giving me an opening. I used my scythe's blade to hook Steiner's sword and rip it from his hands. Defenseless, Steiner could do nothing as I grabbed a hold of him and spun him around.

_**(End Music)**_

"There, you idiot!" I screamed at him. "See it now?"

Steiner stood there slack-jawed as the bomb continued to swell to enormous proportions. "W-where did that come from?"

I wanted to face-palm so badly, but before I could, the bomb exploded with incredible force. I was sent flying back hard into the Prima Vista's stage as my world started to go black.

"_What the hell did I get myself into?" _I thought as I drifted into unconsciousness…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Longest...chapter...I've ever written. But with this particular project, I'm not surprised. After all, I've got a lot of game to fit in, so chapters like this are unavoidable. Hope that the quality you've all come to expect from me doesn't go to hell with the longer chapters!**

**So many reviewers to thank, and so little time. Thanks goes out to Katherine the Black Rose, Hiiro Mizutani, FF and STH, butcherthegirl, and the Duelist of Dawn. Thanks also to No Romance for putting my story on alert, but you get no style points because you didn't review. But no worry, my friend! There's plenty of chances to get style points!**

**Next time: The Evil Forest...of EVIL!**

**I've got Review Cookies for anyone that leaves a review. They're chocolate chip...**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	5. The Evil Forest OF EVIL!

I awoke to find myself lying against a hard, wooden hull. Every muscle in my body screamed in agony as I struggled to regain my footing. In spite of my throbbing headache, my eyes focused enough to where I could see my surroundings.

The hull I was resting against happened to be the wreckage of the Prima Vista. The once proud airship was nothing more than scrap wood and iron as fires burned at several different points in the hull. The area that the Prima Vista had crashed in appeared to be a clearing in the middle of a dark forest. The woods surrounding the crash site echoed with strange and spooky sounds, and the air was thick with the Mist.

"Evil Forest…" I muttered to myself as I stretched out my limbs, trying to work out the aches.

"Yep," a gruff voice replied from inside the airship. I turned towards a large breach as the portly and unkempt Cinna emerged from the hull, carrying an armful of swords and knives.

I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the throbbing as I walked over to the Tantalus member. "Cinna, right?"

Cinna nodded. "Pleased to meet ya, although I wish it were under better circumstances. How are ya feeling?"

"Head feels like it wants to rip apart, but fine otherwise," I answered.

Cinna, nodding knowingly, placed the weapons he had in his hands on the ground as he searched one of the pouches on his belt. He produced a small, blue bottle and offered it to me. "Take this potion. It'll take care of that headache. Course, I'd argue that a cup of coffee would be better, but…"

"Right, thanks!" I said gratefully as I grabbed the bottle, removed the cork, and downed the liquid in a single gulp. Almost instantly, I could feel the potion work its magic as the throbbing in my head died down, freeing my mind from the pain and easing all the aches in my body. I stood up straighter as I handed the empty bottle back to Cinna.

"Told ya that'd do the trick…um, what's your name again?" Cinna inquired.

"Cyrus Truth," I answered almost instantly.

"Hmm, sounds fake to me, but whatever," Cinna replied. "Well, Mr. Truth, you got yourself into a really bad mess. If you know anything about Evil Forest, you know that we're in for a rough trip outta here."

"Nothing worthwhile's ever easy," I replied as I started to scope my surroundings. "Hey, did you happen to see an old rusty scythe around here?"

Cinna shook his head. "Marcus told me you were using some farming scythe as a weapon. Kicking ass with it too, I heard. But I haven't seen it anywhere. Chances are it flew off during the crash."

"Damn it," I cursed, dejected. "I'm weaponless again."

"Not necessarily," Cinna said as he headed for a nearby pile of supplies, past a heap of resting orchestra members. He rummaged around the pile for a minute before shouting, "There it is!"

Cinna smiled as he produced a scythe made of iron. The weapon had a straight shaft with a conical point at one end. On the other end was a large curved blade three feet in length. The scruffy thief chuckled as he said, "Catch!"

Cinna tossed the iron scythe to me, which I caught with ease with my left hand. Admittedly, this scythe felt more like a weapon than the rusty scythe did. I did a few quick practice swings to test this new weapon and found that, while it was a bit heavy, the iron scythe was still fairly balanced and easy to use.

"Awesome," I said as I shouldered the weapon. "Where the heck did you get this?"

"Actually, that's one of the props we use in one of the tragedies we perform," Cinna explained. "Even though none of us can use it, Blank always likes to keep it sharp. The man's obsessed with maintaining the weapons. You like it?"

"Oh, yeah," I replied. I then got a sinking feeling as I asked, "Um, how much do I owe you?"

Cinna shrugged. "Well, seeing as how you helped us out back in Alexandria and none of us can use a scythe…aw, hell, it's yours. No charge. Just don't tell the Boss!"

I closed my eyes and laughed. "Thank you," I said with a nod, gratitude evident in my tone.

"No problem," Cinna assured. "Now, if only…"

"Hey, Cinna!" a voice called out from the wreckage. Both Benero and Zenero ran out, one carrying supplies and the other carrying an orchestra member holding cymbals.

"What's up?" Cinna asked.

"We searched everywhere! No sign of Zidane or Princess Garnet!" Benero (I think it was him, anyway) reported.

"Maybe she fell off…got squished under the ship," Zenero suggested.

Cinna rubbed his forehead, obviously troubled by Zenero's hypothesis. "Great…first we kidnap her, then we kill her. We'll all hang for sure."

"We can't worry about that right now!" I interjected. I turned to Benero and Zenero and said, "Look, you two worry about getting the fires out. Cinna, you take care of the wounded. Let me worry about the Princess."

"Why should we listen to you? You're not a Tantalus!" Benero argued.

"Yeah!" Zenero piped in. "Why should we listen to you?"

"Because it's a smart idea!" a familiar voice shouted from the thicket. We all turned and watched as Zidane hopped down from a group of trees and onto the hollowed log leading deeper into Evil Forest. The tailed thief scratched the back of his neck as Cinna, Benero, and Zenero all crowded around their fellow bandit and gave him the Tantalus salute, placing an open palm on top of their fist, making a rough "T" shape with their hands.

"Zidane!" Benero shouted.

"You made it!" Zenero added.

Cinna snickered. "I'm surprised you survived. Can't believe you jumped off. You're nuts, you know that?"

Zidane shook his head. "I didn't jump off. I got thrown off from the impact. So, everyone okay?"

"Yeah, we've got all the devil's luck," Cinna answered grimly. "But if we don't find Princess Garnet, we're all dead meat."

"Exactly," I said as I stepped forward towards Zidane. "So, what do you say, monkey-boy? Need a hand finding the damsel in distress?"

Zidane grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Sounds good, stranger! What's your name?"

"Cyrus Truth."

"Pleased to meet you, Cyrus! Name's Zidane!" the tailed thief answered as he held his hand out. I took his hand as we exchanged a hearty handshake. Zidane and I turned to face the other members of Tantalus as Zidane told his brothers, "You guys handle things here. Cyrus and I'll find the princess."

"Got it!" Cinna shouted as he, Benero, and Zenero saluted Zidane and rushed to take care of their duties. With that, Zidane motioned for me to follow him as we headed into the hollow log and into the depths of Evil Forest.

* * *

Zidane and I trudged through the thicket for several minutes before we heard rustling noises coming from the distance. The rustling was followed by a young girl shouting:

"Steiner! Vivi! Please, help me!"

We both ran quickly to find Vivi sitting on the ground scared stiff, Steiner standing and seething, and a large, brown plant monster holding Garnet hostage on top of its body. I recognized it as a Prison Cage.

"Sh-she's in trouble," Vivi managed to whisper.

"Don't worry," I reassured the young black mage. "We'll get her back."

Zidane nodded as he ran over to Steiner. I was seconds behind him as Steiner shouted at the plant monster, "Accursed fiend! Release the princess at once!"

"Yeah, like it's really going to listen to you," Zidane said sarcastically. The thief drew his daggers as he shouted, "Let's go!"

"Right!" I shouted in reply as I readied my newly-acquired iron scythe. Steiner, still disgruntled at Zidane's and my efforts back on the Prima Vista, nevertheless drew his broadsword and prepared himself for a fight.

_**(Play Final Fantasy VII-Normal Battle Theme)**_

"Have at thee, you wicked weed!" Steiner shouted at he and Zidane bum-rushed the monster. Almost effortlessly, the Prison Cage knocked the knight and the thief back with its powerful vine-like tentacles. Steiner landed flat on the ground as Zidane managed to turn his body and regain his footing.

"Bastard!" Zidane shouted as I could sense powerful energy start to emanate from him. Seconds later, Zidane was engulfed in a bright light that altered his body. Instead of his clothing, the thief's body was covered in fuchsia fur as his body pulsed with powerful magic.

"Wha…what is that light?" Steiner stammered as he got back to his feet.

"Trance…" I said with a low whistle. "So, that's what it looks like up close."

"Trance? I've heard of that!" Steiner said in realization. "The scholars at the castle say that strong enough emotions can trigger a state of Trance."

I quickly shook my head and regained my focus. "Talk later! Zidane, you all right to fight?"

"Better than all right! Lemme at him!" Zidane said with a thumbs-up.

I nodded before I turned to Steiner. "Help me pin that bastard down. Zidane will use his Trance deliver the killing blow."

"I don't take orders from scoundrels like you!" Steiner protested. He was about to go on a rant when our attention was diverted back to the Prison Cage. The monster had raised its tentacles and inserted them into the plant's cell-like head, one on either side of Garnet. Seconds later, the tentacles pulsed with dark-red energy as Garnet seemed to become more and more lethargic.

"PRINCESS!!!" Steiner worryingly shouted at he rushed past Zidane, headlong towards the Prison Cage. And just like before, he was knocked back by the monster's vine-like tendrils. Losing my patience, I growled at Steiner:

"Stop and think, you dumbass! That monster's draining the princess's energy. Unless you want her to be completely drained of her life force, we need to work together. Understand?!"

Steiner, completely enraged, finally nodded slightly as I tightened my grip on my scythe. "Ready, Zidane?"

Zidane smiled and nodded as Steiner and I rushed the Prison Cage simultaneously. This time, however, when the Prison Cage tried to swat us away, both the knight and I managed to dodge the monster's tentacles and pin them to the ground with our blades. The Prison Cage squirmed and tried to free itself as Zidane held his daggers out on his sides and shouted, "Eat this! Free Energy!"

The Prison Cage was surrounded by a series of runes as they shined and exploded with incredible force. Thankfully, Zidane's Free Energy only hit the monster and not Garnet, although she was understandably rattled from the powerful attack. The Prison Cage staggered a bit as Zidane faded out of Trance and Steiner seemingly saw his opening.

"Aha! You're mine, foul beast!" Steiner proclaimed as he pulled his sword from the Prison Cage's tentacle.

"Steiner, wait!" I shouted as the Prison Cage used its newly-freed tentacle to knock me and my scythe aside. Now with both tentacles free, the Prison Cage reached into the sky as it grabbed a pair of tree branches. Before Steiner could slay it, it pulled itself up and swung away as Garnet shouted in fear.

_**(End Music)**_

"NO!" Steiner shouted as the Prison Cage escaped. "PRINCESS!!!"

"What the heck?" Zidane pondered as he scratched his head. "Where did they go?"

"She's gone," Vivi said somberly. He shuffled his feet as he walked up in front of us. "It's my fault. I was too scared to cast any spells. That monster's probably gonna eat her…"

"Damn! How could I let this happen?" Steiner cried, his palm covering his eyes.

"Both of you, that's enough," I finally said out loud. "This is far from over. We still have time."

"Cyrus is right," Zidane added. "That monster was only a minion. He's probably taking the princess to his master."

"That means the princess might still be…" Steiner mused before it struck him. "Come! We must go find her at once!"

Before I could say anything in reply, a shadow appeared around Vivi. In a flash, a second Prison Cage descended on the black mage, capturing Vivi in its leaf-like jail cell and landing on its feet. Zidane, Steiner, and I quickly readied ourselves against this new foe as Vivi pleaded, "Let me out! Help!"

_**(Play Final Fantasy VIII-Normal Battle Theme)**_

"Hang on!" I shouted as I took the initiative and rushed the Prison Cage with my scythe held high. Knowing what these monster's attack patterns were, I managed to dodge the Prison Cage's first tentacle lashing and slash at the monster's second tentacle with my iron scythe. I managed to draw blood…or in this case, some green, vile-looking goop as the Prison Cage retracted its tentacles and screeched in pain.

Zidane and Steiner immediately followed up by lunging headlong towards the Prison Cage, daggers and sword looking to impale the plant monster. The Prison Cage, in response, drove its vines into the ground and raised them right in front of the rushing thief and knight, looking to impale them. Both fighters' instincts kicked in as they stopped just short of the rising tentacles as they hacked them down with their respective weapons.

After unleashing an unearthly screech, the Prison Cage retracted its tentacles as it went to drain away Vivi's energy. As it raised its vines into position, Vivi started to panic.

"Stay away! Fire!"

The black mage, almost as if it were a reflex, poured his magical energy into a Fire spell right below him, straight into the Prison Cage's face. The plant monster recoiled and shuddered as the flames burned its body. Vivi, astonished by the effects of his spell, muttered, "Magic's…effective?"

"Vivi!" Zidane shouted. "Keep using your magic! We'll get you out of there in a second!"

"O-o-okay," Vivi meekly replied as he started focusing his energy for another spell. As he focused, Steiner and I went for another attack. The Prison Cage retained enough energy to bring its tentacles up and cross them in an attempt to shield itself, but another Fire spell from Vivi burned and disoriented it, giving us the opening we needed.

"Sayonara, you bastard!" I shouted as Steiner and I sliced past the tentacles and drove our blades deep into the Prison Cage's fleshy body. The plant monster howled in pain as Zidane ran up and, in one swift motion, drove his dagger into the Prison Cage's center, finally killing the creature. The Prison Cage slumped to the ground in a heap as the leaves on top of its head drooped, freeing Vivi.

_**(End Music)**_

I quickly swiped the gunk from my scythe's blade and shouldered the weapon. I knelt down and help Vivi get back to his feet.

"Phew," Vivi sighed. "T-thanks."

Zidane walked up to us. "You all right?"

"I think so…" Vivi started to say before the Prison Cage's body rose like an undead and started to exhale a toxic-looking cloud of green gas. Zidane back-flipped away from the cloud while I used my coat to cover my mouth and nose, shielding myself from the gas. However, Vivi and Steiner were hit directly with the haze as both started to cough and fall to the ground.

"Ugh…Princess…" Steiner managed to say before he and Vivi lost consciousness. I allowed the gas to dissipate as Zidane ran up to me.

"What the heck was that?" Zidane asked.

I turned and said, "I've heard things about Evil Forest…how some of the monsters here propagate by planting seeds into other creatures, killing them when the seeds start to germinate."

"That's what that was?" Zidane said incredulously. "Man, we better get these two back to the Prima Vista! Blank's bound to have some medicine that'll fix them right up!"

"What about Garnet?" I asked.

Zidane crossed his arms and shook his head. "We don't stand a chance of rescuing her in our condition. Once we get back to the airship, I'll convince the Boss to lend some of the Tantalus boys to help us search."

Even though I knew Baku would refuse to help, I decided not to say anything. "Fine. Let's get these two to the Prima Vista. Which one of us has to carry the walking tin can?"

Zidane flashed a toothy grin as he scooped up Vivi and ran full speed back towards the crash site. Dumbfounded, I finally shook my head and cursed the thief's name under my breath. After a second of self-pity, I relegated myself to the task at hand and walked over to the fallen Steiner.

"All right, big guy," I groaned as I hefted Steiner up to his feet and propped him up by standing on his left. "Time to start walking."

Steiner said nothing, just a garbled mess of words and sounds as I walked the sick knight back down the path towards the Prima Vista. It was tricky to carry the armored swordsman and my scythe, but I managed to build up a decent pace. I heard the sound of howling in the distance and, praying that whatever was howling would stay away long enough for me to get back to the airship.

* * *

After a few minutes of trudging through the thicket, I finally managed to carry Steiner back to the airship. I passed Zidane and shot the thief a dirty look as he helped me carry the heavy knight to a nearby bedroom. Vivi was resting on another bed, awake but drowsy and confused. Zidane and I dumped Steiner on the ground as I shouldered my scythe and watched Blank mixing some potions together on a nearby dresser.

"Hey," Blank said, never looking up from his work.

"Nice to see you too, Blank," Zidane shot back. "Hey, you got this? I gotta talk to Baku."

Blank nodded. "Yeah. Leave it to me to clean up your messes."

Zidane shook his head as he nodded once at me and left the room. Blank finished mixing his medicine as he handed a bottle to me. "Drink it."

"I'm fine," I replied.

"You were standing in that gas. If you even inhaled that stuff for a second, you could have still gotten seeded. Don't take any stupid chances."

I sighed as I drank the medicine down. It was quite possibly the foulest stuff I've ever had to drink in all my journeys, but I managed to keep it down and hand Blank the bottle back.

"Thanks."

"No problem," Blank plainly replied as we both heard Steiner start to shuffle to his feet.

"_Man, Steiner's double-tough," _I said to myself as he stood up. He pushed me and Blank aside and headed out the door, muttering something about saving Princess Garnet. Blank and I shook our heads as the red-haired thief shouted for Zenero.

The masked demi-human immediately popped his head into the bedroom as Blank handed him another medicine bottle. "Follow that knight. Lock him up in the instrument room if you have to. Just make sure he rests a little and drinks the medicine."

"Got it!" Zenero shouted as he grabbed the medicine and ran after Steiner. Vivi, curious as to what was going on, turned his head towards Blank and me and asked, "Wh-what's going on?"

"Nothing to worry about," Blank said confidently. He then walked over to Vivi's bed and explained, "You know, you guys are lucky. If it weren't for Zidane and this guy…"

"Cyrus," I interrupted.

"Cyrus," Blank corrected. "If it weren't for Zidane and Cyrus, you and that knight'd be dead. Some of the monsters in this forest reproduce by planting seeds in other animals. And when the seeds sprout, it's hasta la vista: you become beef jerky."

"Um, am I gonna die?" Vivi asked, terror evident in his tone.

"No, you're gonna be fine," Blank reassured the young black mage. "Drink this. It'll remove the seeds in your body."

Vivi nodded as Blank helped him drink from the medicine bottle. Even though I couldn't read Vivi's facial expressions, the way his body reacted to the medicine told me he found it less appealing taste-wise than I did. Still, he seemed grateful as he finished the whole bottle.

"Thank you," Vivi said quietly. "Um, could you tell that guy with the daggers that I appreciate his help?"

"I'll let him know," Blank said as he grabbed the rest of his medicine bottles and left the room. I followed behind him as Vivi said, "Thank you, too Mr. Cyrus."

"Don't mention it," I assured the black mage. "But please, just call me Cyrus."

"Oh…okay," Vivi murmured as I left the bedroom. I could hear lots of yelling coming from the Prima Vista's bridge, and I knew it was Zidane voicing his displeasure at Baku's decision to abandon Garnet. I decided not to worry about it as I had a feeling that things would work themselves out without my interference. Instead, I headed out towards the instrument room, where Marcus was standing guard.

"Hey!" the bandana-wielding thief shouted as I walked over. He stretched his hand out and I accepted it, shaking it for a second before releasing my grip.

"Marcus, right?" I asked, trying to play along with the game.

"Yeah. Thanks for your help before," Marcus replied.

I shrugged. "Don't sweat it. Like I said, I was just doing what I wanted. Not to say landing in Evil Forest was what I had planned on doing on my journey, but what are you going to do?"

"I hear you," Marcus agreed as he reached behind him and produced a leather belt. "Here. It's an old arrow quiver, but I think you can use it as a sheath for your scythe. Figured it has to be hell carrying that thing around on your shoulder like that."

"Cool, thanks," I said as I took the old arrow quiver-turned scythe sheath and strapped it to my chest over my coat. I slid the iron scythe into the sheath and, although it didn't fit quite as well as I would have liked, it held the scythe in place and freed my shoulders up.

I gave Marcus a quick nod of appreciation, which the thief understood and reciprocated. I then decided to walk out to past the instrument room and onto the balcony where the orchestra was playing earlier that evening. It was completely wrecked, but it did provide me a relatively safe, elevated place to scope out Evil Forest.

"_This is getting serious," _I thought to myself. _"Even with a decent scythe, there's no way I can make it very far in this journey unless I learn how to perform alchemy. Okay, Truth, think: in previous Final Fantasy games, alchemists had access to items that no other characters could use. Things like elemental gems, status-inducing powders and chemicals…"_

As I was thinking, something on the ruined stage below me caught my eye. There, twinkling in the moonlight near where the bomb had self-destructed, were several small crystalline fragments embedded in the wooden floor. Curious, I carefully made my way down from the balcony and onto the stage. I knelt down and picked up one of the fragments and found that it was warm…almost hot to the touch.

"About time you started using your brain," the mocking voice of Gihen proclaimed as I quickly spun around and came face-to-face with the demon. And as an added insult, he held Final Chapter just out of reach but still right where I could see it.

I held the fragment in my hand as I confronted Gihen. "I see you added a few extra features to the game."

"Only enough to make things interesting…and to accommodate your job class," Gihen replied. "I take it you know what you are in this world."

"An alchemist," I answered. "And these…these are bomb fragments. Packed with fire magic, right?"

"Clever," Gihen retorted. "But figuring out what the items are is only the first step. Learning how to utilize them is another matter altogether. Oh, well, I'm sure you'll figure out how to mix items eventually. Well, that and the Arcana…"

"Arcana?"

"Mystical fighting techniques," Gihen explained. "Arcana will allow you to perform an amazing array of scythe attacks. But, like with everything else, that's something you'll have to figure out on your own. Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but this forest kind of creeps me out. Later!"

Gihen vanished in a flash of light, leaving me alone once again. Deciding not to let Gihen ruin my concentration, I went to work gathering bomb fragments. I had just finished gathering close to a dozen fragments when I heard Zidane shouting from the ground.

"Hey, Cyrus! Where are you?"

"Up here!" I shouted back. "Give me a minute, I'll meet you down there!"

"Hurry up, you brigand!" Steiner's voice roared. "We must make haste if we are to rescue the princess!"

"All right, all right! I'll hurry!" I yelled as I pocketed the bomb fragments and ran for a crack in the airship. It led back into a busted staircase that I used to make it back to the ground. A minute later, I had reached Zidane, Steiner, and Vivi. The tailed thief had a black eye and was clutching his stomach, but he still smiled and said, "Ready to go? We're off to find the princess."

I nodded. "I take it your boss disapproved?"

"Yeah, so I quit the band," Zidane explained. "But never mind that now. We've got a damsel to rescue!"

"Got it," I said calmly as Zidane headed for the hollow log, Vivi following close behind. Steiner started to walk, but stopped to turn and say:

"Until the princess is safe, I will cooperate with you and the thief. But I will kill you myself if you betray me or the princess."

"Nice to be working with you too, Steiner," I retorted as the knight huffed before running towards the hollowed log, trying to catch up with Zidane and Vivi. I shook my head in amusement as I checked to make sure my scythe was securely sheathed to my back as I started running myself.

"_Onwards and forwards," _I thought as I followed Zidane, Vivi, and Steiner into the depths of Evil Forest…

* * *

**_New Weapon: Iron Scythe_**

**_Description: A combat scythe made of iron_**

**_Abilities Learned: ??????? (to be revealed next chapter)_**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Notes:**

**Eh, I think the fights with the Prison Cages weren't my best work, but I have faith that the fights to come will bring the epic...EXILE-STYLE! And the fights in this chapter aren't bad...just not my best work.**

**Thanks to my reviewers last chapter: Dreylen, Reader'sindigested, butcherthegirl, FF and STH, ExtremeuGamer, Hiiro Mizutani, and the Duelist of Dawn. You guys earned your review cookies! Thanks also to The Forgotten Melody for putting my story on alert. Welcome to the madness, friend!**

**Next chapter: The Alchemist is Born**

**I like to think of my story as a garden, and my readers as plants. So, read and bloom and leave a review!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	6. The Alchemist is Born

"That's enough out of you!" I shouted as my iron scythe's blade drove itself deep into the skull of a fang (a brown wolf-like monster that lived in Evil Forest). The fang died instantly as I removed the blade and shouldered the scythe, which I had nicknamed "Talon."

"Blasted hounds!" Steiner whined as he removed his own blade from another freshly-killed fang. While I was getting tired of hearing Steiner complain and bemoan the situation we were in, even I had to admit I was getting frustrated. Our party of four had been wandering through Evil Forest for an hour and it seemed like we were getting nowhere fast. Add to that the fact that this forest was teeming with fangs and goblins that loved to ambush us at any given opportunity, and we all were beginning to feel the strain.

Zidane had been scouting a dozen yards ahead, leaving me with Steiner and Vivi. Vivi, despite being afraid, had been steady and invaluable to our progress thanks to his black magic. Steiner, although being a hell of a swordsman, was becoming a bit irritating thanks to his holier-than-thou attitude and constant complaining.

"Where is that thief?" Steiner growled. "No doubt he has abandoned us, left us here to rot and die while he finds the princess for his own evil schemes!"

I rolled my eyes. "Tell me, Steiner. Were you born this stupid or did you have to work on it?"

"You dare insult me?!" Steiner bellowed as he ran over to me and grabbed the scruff of my coat. "I am Adelbert Steiner, captain of the Pluto Knights! And you…you're nothing more than a vagabond. What right do you have to judge me?"

"Stop it!" Vivi pleaded, which stunned the massive knight. "Mr. Steiner, Cyrus…we need to work together. I'm sure Zidane will be back soon."

"…Very well, Master Vivi," Steiner replied as he let me go. "I will try to heed your advice."

"Thanks," Vivi said with an appreciative nod as Steiner glared at me one last time before walking a ways up the path we had been clearing. Vivi walked up to me and looked at me with his perfectly-circular eyes.

"Appreciate you talking some sense into him," I said as I brushed off some of the dust that had started to cling to my coat.

"It's nothing," Vivi replied as he started to wring his hands, a habit of his when he became nervous. "Um…can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why do you keep making Mr. Steiner angry?"

I crossed my arms in front of me as my face bore a pensive look. "Well, I can't say I like his attitude. And I'm not fond of being called a 'brigand' or 'vagabond,' either. But…when I think about it, I guess I can't blame him for being angry."

"I think…I think he's just worried about the princess. It's the only thing he's focused on, and he can't stand waiting around. At least, that's what I think."

Hearing Vivi's take on Steiner's attitude really impressed me. I knelt down and placed a hand on the black mage's shoulder. "You know, you're pretty smart for a kid. All right, if it'll help put your mind at ease, I'll lay off on the insults."

"Thanks!" Vivi replied, his eyes glowing a little brighter. A rustling sound coming from the bushes caught our attention as Vivi, Steiner, and I grabbed our weapons and readied ourselves for whatever was approaching.

"Hey guys! Miss me?" Zidane's voice called out from the brush. The tailed thief emerged from the foliage as he looked over our little group. "Did I miss something?"

"No, not a thing," I quickly replied. "You find anything?"

Zidane nodded. "I found a pretty well-traveled path leading away from a stream. Some of the tracks look like it might have been used by one of those Prison Cages."

"That must be the monster that abducted the princess!" Steiner shouted in realization.

"Right. If nothing else, that path will probably take us to the monster's master. The princess has to be there!"

"Then why are we standing here?" I asked as I sheathed Talon. "We have our path, so let's follow it."

Zidane gave me a thumbs-up as he motioned for us to follow him. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes of wandering through the thicket, we saw the path Zidane was talking about. I recognized it immediately from the game as the path leading to the boss monster's lair. Still, I restrained myself from taking the lead as I took up the rear, following behind Zidane, Steiner, and Vivi.

The path wasn't any safer than the rest of the forest, as we were regularly ambushed by goblins, fangs, and large flower-like monsters called dendrobriums. The goblins and fangs were easily dispatched with, but the dendrobriums were a little tricky due to them being flying monsters. Their Pollen attacks and mastery of wind made them hard to strike physically, but Vivi's Fire magic made short work of them. Vivi also took the opportunity to perfect his magic sword combo with Steiner, as the knight was able to cleave with way through enemies with his Fire Sword.

Zidane and I were making out like bandits along the way, as the goblins carried a multitude of items and Gil. I'll never understand why the monsters hoarded money, but I was grateful for the fact that they did. Several minutes of walking on the path, and my coat pockets were starting to fill out with Gil, potions, and various status-curing items like eye drops, antidotes, and echo screens. In addition to the regular items, I also took the time to harvest the dendrobriums' pollen-producing stamens, with the idea that I could use the blinding effects of the pollen with my alchemy…if I could ever perform alchemy.

We walked for a good ten minutes before we reached an oddly-illuminated spring inside of a hollow tree trunk. The light came from an open patch in the forest canopy, and the water in the spring looked clean and refreshing.

I went to take a drink from the spring as Zidane looked at the forest floor. "Hmm, no tracks. Guess the monsters stay away from here."

"We are wasting time! We must keep pressing forward!" Steiner insisted.

I sighed as I knelt down and cupped my hands to take some of the water trickling from the tree trunk. Once my hands were full, I took a drink and immediately felt revitalized.

"Wow…that's good stuff," I commented as I turned to my comrades. "Steiner, you make a good point, but before we leave, take a sip from the spring. The water must be magical in nature, because once I drank it I felt as good as new. No sense in being tired and weary before meeting the boss monster, right?"

Steiner, although looking at me with suspicious eyes, actually nodded in agreement. "Your logic is…sound. Very well, we will partake of the spring."

"Alrighty," Vivi chimed in as he and Zidane followed Steiner in surrounding the spring and taking a drink. I contemplated taking another drink when something else caught my attention…the muffled sound of something whimpering…

I turned around and came face-to-face with another, smaller stump. Sticking out of the stump was a fuzzy pom-pom that could only belong to one creature.

"Hey, a moogle!" I shouted.

"Kupo?" the moogle in the stump responded. The furry creature jumped out and hopped up and down excitedly. "I didn't think humans came to Evil Forest, kupo. Don't you know it's dangerous here?"

"Trust me, we're not here by choice," I replied as the others finished drinking from the spring and joined me and the moogle. "Who are you, by the way?"

"My name's Monty, kupo! I live here in the forest. But things are getting really scary, kupo. Strange monsters are starting to move in…especially the plant monsters, kupo."

"Plant monsters, eh?" Zidane mused. "Any idea where the monsters' lair is?"

Monty nodded, his pom-pom bouncing along. "Follow this path until you come to a huge tree. The plant monsters all come from there, kupo. But be careful, kupo! Those monsters are really, really strong!"

"Your help and counsel are greatly appreciated," Steiner replied.

"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Zidane chimed in as he started running back to the path, followed closely by Steiner and Vivi. I started to turn and run before remembering something.

"Oh, here," I said as I retrieved Kupo's letter from my coat pocket and handed it to Monty. "This is for you."

"A letter? Oh, thank you, kupo! The Mognet Mailman's been really random lately, and he rarely comes here to Evil Forest. I appreciate this, kupopo!"

I nodded as I turned and ran. I caught up to Zidane and the gang as we ran past a small lake, deeper into the forest. For some strange reason, we didn't run into any monsters on this section of the path…yet I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched.

"Hey," Zidane whispered to me. We were several paces ahead of Steiner and Vivi, so they couldn't hear the thief. "You're feeling it too, right?"

I nodded. "We're not alone here. You know the old expression 'the trees have eyes?' I think that's very true in this situation."

"No kidding," Zidane replied in a low tone. He then smirked, "Not losing your nerve, are you?"

I scoffed. "Hardly. But a fool rushes into an obvious trap."

"But a hero does when there's a life on the line," Zidane countered.

Shaking my head, I had to admit that Zidane was one hell of a debater. "Fine. But something tells me I'm going to have to pull your tail out of the fire in the next few minutes."

"You two!" Steiner barked from behind. "What are you doing? Hmph, no doubt you are plotting another one of your nefarious schemes."

"Nothing like that," I answered. "Just discussing some strategy. Whatever this monster is that has Princess Garnet, it's likely going to be big and nasty. Rushing in without a solid plan is risky at best and suicidal at worst."

"And conversing amongst ourselves is wasting time. Precious time that the princess does not have!" Steiner argued.

I shrugged, conceding the point to Steiner. "Fair enough. Let's keep moving then."

Steiner grunted as our party of four continued following the path. Two minutes later, we came up to a massive cluster of trees surrounding a much, much larger one. The tree was hollowed out, as evidenced by the large gap leading into the tree. I wanted to say something before rushing in, but Zidane ran in without a second thought, followed by Vivi and Steiner.

"Son of a…" I muttered as I ran in after them.

After dashing into the tree, I found myself standing behind Zidane, Vivi, and Steiner. The inside of the tree was much larger than I imagined it would be. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the petite figure of Princess Garnet bound to the wall of the hollowed tree with thick vines. Standing between us and her was one massive obstacle.

It was an enormous plant with four powerful vine-like tentacles surrounding its base, smack dab in the middle of the hollowed tree. Its "face" was an eight-petal red flower with three large yellow stamens surrounding a maw lined with razor-sharp fangs. The plant monster, known as the Plant Brain, screeched defiantly as we all readied our weapons.

"Princess, hold on! I shall save you!" Steiner shouted as he tightened his grip on his broadsword. He then turned to face Zidane. "You and that vagrant…stay out of this! Alexandria would be disgraced if a couple of mere bandits were to rescue the princess!"

"Oh really?" Zidane retorted. "You think you can handle him on your own?"

Steiner was really quiet after Zidane's rebuttal. Zidane sighed as he shouted, "Let's get him, Vivi!"

"O-o-okay!" Vivi stammered as he readied his staff.

I, for my part, dropped into my combat stance, Talon held securely in my hands. I whispered to myself, "Here's hoping this fight's as easy as it was in the game…"

_**(Play Final Fantasy IX-Boss Battle Music)**_

"Time to turn this guy into salad!" Zidane exclaimed as he ran towards the Plant Brain, daggers drawn and ready to strike. The Plant Brain attempted to swat Zidane away with its tentacles, but the acrobatic thief dodged and flipped past the monster's swipes as he went for a strike on the main body. The Plant Brain, however, had other ideas as it cast a Thunder spell on Zidane, stopping the thief dead in his tracks. Zidane was paralyzed for a brief instant, giving the Plant Brain the chance to strike Zidane with its left tentacle, sending the tailed thief flying back towards us. Zidane landed in a heap to my right as Steiner and Vivi focused their attention on the Plant Brain

"I told you to stay out of this, you rapscallion!" Steiner shouted. "Master Vivi! Let us strike this monstrosity down together!"

"All right!" Vivi shouted as he turned and focused his energy. "Here!"

The black mage used his magic to envelop Steiner's sword in searing hot flames. Steiner nodded appreciatively as he shouted, "Taste this, you foul flora! Fire Sword!"

Steiner, like a runaway freight train, ran headlong into the Plant Brain. The Plant Brain attempted to use its tentacles to protect itself, but Steiner's enchanted blade and brute strength cleaved through the heavy vines before striking the Plant Brain's main body, cutting and searing the stalk of the plant monster. Enraged, the Plant Brain used its severed tentacle and wrapped it around Steiner, constricting the knight and attempting to crush his bones. Steiner struggled to break free as his breathing became more and more labored…

"Fire!" Vivi shouted, pointing his staff at the Plant Brain's flower head. The magical flames scorched the plant monster as it violently shook its body to rid itself of the fire. All of that thrashing also resulted in the Plant Brain loosening its grip on Steiner, allowing the knight to slip free. He quickly got back to his feet and grabbed his sword. Before he could go for another attack, the Plant Brain struck Steiner forcefully with its tentacle, ramming the knight hard into the wall.

The Plant Brain screeched loudly as it shook away the remnants of Vivi's Fire spell. Zidane, having gotten back to his feet, ran up to Vivi and me as the ground beneath us started to rumble.

"What the hell?" Zidane shouted as the ground split and fissured, revealing dozens of plantlike tentacles. My jaw dropped as these tentacles, which I had to assume were the Plant Brain's roots, writhed as they surrounded the forest master.

"_This wasn't in the damn game!" _I snarled mentally as one of the roots rushed towards Vivi. The little mage was in shock and unable to defend himself; luckily, I rushed over and used Talon to slice the root down to size, protecting Vivi. The Plant Brain apparently didn't like my gardening tactics as it sent more of its roots towards us, powering through the earth. Acting solely on instinct, I started swinging away with my scythe, chopping down the roots as quickly as they rushed towards me. Zidane, too, used his blades to slice at the roots as Vivi regained his focus and starting casting Fire spells at the tentacles. Steiner, having regained consciousness, was soon accosted by several root tentacles, which he quickly cleaved through with his broadsword.

And so, the four of us continued to slash and torch the Plant Brain's numerous root tentacles, finding not even a second's worth of respite. I was beginning to feel the strain as Talon cut through a trio of roots. My scythe was starting to become heavier and heavier as I struggled to shoulder it and ready myself for another barrage. In my exhaustion, I didn't even see a large root shoot up behind me, ready to crush me in an instant…

"Not so fast!" the voice of Blank shouted as I turned and watched the red-headed bandit slice the root down with one swing of his sword. The root fell harmlessly to the side as Blank held his sword cockily on his shoulder.

"Blank! What are you doing here?" Zidane shouted as he finished slashing another pair of tentacles down.

"Saving your butt, what else?" Blank replied. "And, from the looks of things, I got here just in time."

Blank stepped out in front of us as he sized up the Plant Brain. "Stand aside, I'll handle this."

"And how are you going to do that?" I said in a challenging tone.

Before Blank could answer, the Plant Brain made a strange rustling sound. The monster started shaking violently as the air around us became thick with pollen. The pollen got into all of our eyes as my sight faded to black.

"Damn it! I'm blind!" Zidane shouted. Blank, Vivi, Steiner, and I all voiced the same thought as we felt the ground rumble once more. Even though I couldn't see it, I felt another root shoot up beneath my feet and wrap itself around me, constricting the life out of me.

"_Damn it, damn it, damn it! Is this how my journey ends? Blinded and helpless by a giant weed?"_

I could hear the others cry out in pain, letting me know that they were being held captive the same way I was. The Plant Brain's screeching was becoming louder as I could feel myself being dragged closer to its razor-sharp teeth.

"_What the hell's the matter with you, Truth?!" _I silently cursed myself. _"What kind of Exile are you to let something like this do you in? You're stronger than this. There's never been an obstacle that you haven't been able to overcome…and you're going to let this overgrown flower be the one you couldn't break through? No…I'm not losing this fight. I WON'T LOSE!!!"_

My anger and frustration with my helplessness continued to build until I felt something strange…a warn sensation that started creeping all over my body. The sensation started to become a cascade of energy as all my aches and pains started to fade away.

Seconds later, a flood of new information coursed through my mind. Ancient knowledge, long forgotten combinations, powerful magic…in a brief second, I understood everything.

"Oh, hell yes," I muttered with anticipation thick in my voice. The energy running through my veins reached its crescendo as my sight immediately returned. I flexed my arms, shattering the root that held me prisoner as I landed on the ground, Talon in hand. The Plant Brain growled angrily as I stood in front of it, defiantly.

"My name is Cyrus Truth," I said. "I am the Exile, the last of my kind. And you have made the biggest mistake of your life…you went and pissed me off. Time for me to show you just who the hell you're dealing with!"

_**(End Music; Play Cyrus Truth's Battle Anthem: "Cry of the Banshee" by Brocas Helm)**_

The Plant Brain, unimpressed by my little speech, tried to cast a Thunder spell at me. The lightning bolt hit nothing but dirt as I leapt back towards where the boss monster was holding Zidane and the rest of the gang. With a quick flurry, I sliced the roots holding them hostage as they fell to the ground in a heap. While they were still blinded, I grabbed a pair of vials from my coat and held them both in my left hand.

"Combine! Eye Drops and Potion, Elemental Wind!" I shouted as the seal on my left hand started glowing green.

In a flash, the vials in my hand turned into pure energy as the seal absorbed them. I felt the dematerialized items course through my left arm to my right. In my right palm, a sphere of greenish energy took shape over the glowing seal as I exclaimed, "Gale of Clear Sight!"

I slammed my palm to the ground as a small cyclone surrounded me. The twister blew out in all directions as Zidane, Blank, Steiner, and Vivi's health were restored along with their sight. Zidane rubbed his eyes as he stammered:

"C-Cyrus? You've gone into a Trance, too!"

I nodded once in acknowledgment. Like Zidane earlier, my entire body was glowing in a strange fuchsia light. My heavy leather coat was now sleeveless as my arms glowed with mystical runes and patterns. Both Vivi and Steiner stood there in amazement at my transformation as Blank simply shrugged. I smirked as I turned my attention back to the Plant Brain.

To this day, I have no idea if the plant monster understood rage or fear, but the Plant Brain certainly acted afraid and angry as it let loose a piercing screech. In a second, the Plant Brain was joined by three Prison Cages, all of them looking like they were ready to protect their master.

Zidane was about to ready his daggers when I held Talon out in front of him, stopping him from rushing in. "Relax, monkey-boy. I'll handle this."

The tailed thief looked perplexed as I drove Talon's shaft into the ground and calmly reached inside my coat. I pulled out a pair of bomb fragments with my left hand as the seals on my palms now glowed red.

I took a deep breath as I shouted, "Combine! Bomb Fragments, Elemental Fire!"

Like before, the items in my left dematerialized and shot through my body to my right. A sphere of fiery energy appeared in my right palm as I pointed it at the plant monsters amassed in front of me.

"Try this on for size, you bastards. Blaze Cannon!"

The sphere in my right hand grew to the size of a bomb monster as I sent it flying into the Plant Brain and its minions. To my pleasant surprise, the fireball exploded with incredible force, incinerating the Prison Cages instantly and causing major damage to the Plant Brain. The boss monster roared in pain as it continued to writhe and shudder.

"Still alive, huh?" I said mockingly as I picked up Talon and shouldered the weapon. "Fine, I guess I got to do it, then."

I crouched down and let my energy build one more time. The air around me started to swirl as Talon's blade was engulfed in flames.

"Arcana Number One: Exile's Edge!" I announced as I lunged towards the Plant Brain, with my scythe held at my side, the blade behind me burning. The Plant Brain was still trying to rid itself of the flames from my Blaze Cannon as it attempted to stop me by raising a pair of roots a few feet in front of me. Without hesitation, I sliced the roots down with Talon's blazing blade with ease as I continued pressing towards the Plant Brain.

The immolated plant monster couldn't stop me as I leapt in the air and drove my scythe's blade right into its maw. As I fell, Talon's blade continued digging and slicing all the way down as the Plant Brain cried out in agony. Once I had landed back on the ground, I quickly jerked the blade from the Plant Brain's stalk as the gash from Talon ignited, burning the boss monster from the inside out.

Seconds later, the Plant Brain fell in a heap as the mystical flames claimed it, reducing it to ashes. Without missing a beat, I sheathed Talon as the Plant Brain's ashes blew away and my Trance subsided, restoring my coat back to its original style.

_**(End Music)**_

"Well, that was interesting…" I muttered as I fell to one knee, exhaustion rearing its ugly head. Steiner, having gotten over the shock of me completely obliterating the Plant Brain, ran over to where Garnet was being held captive and freed her from the vines holding her against the wall of the hollow tree. The powerful knight scooped her up bridal-style as the rest of the group crowded around her.

"Princess!" Steiner hollered as he tried to shake Garnet awake. I took the opportunity to drink a couple of potions as he pleaded, "Please, get a hold of yourself!"

"Zidane," Blank stated, "give her the stuff."

Zidane nodded as he grabbed a bottle from a pouch on his belt and put it to Garnet's lips. The princess drank the medicine as she started to cough.

"Princess, please try to drink all of it," Steiner said softly as Garnet finished drinking the de-seeder.

"Is…she gonna be okay?" Vivi asked as he wrung his hands nervously.

Before anyone could answer, the ground started to rumble as the center of the hollow tree cracked open. Where once the Plant Brain was planted was now a large, gaping hole.

"Oh, man! What now?" Blank asked.

The red-headed thief's question was answered as a trio of insect-looking plant monsters with a red leaf sticking out the back of their necks hopped out of the hole and started making strange clicking sounds with their mandibles. Feeling refreshed thanks to the potions, I got back to my feet and drew Talon.

"Damn, we're gonna be surrounded!" Blank blurted out.

"Guys? I think it's time we run like hell!" I loudly suggested.

Zidane nodded, "Right, let's get outta here!"

Steiner, with Garnet in his arms, ran towards an opening to the east, followed by Blank and Vivi. I swatted one of the plant spiders away with my scythe and headed for the opening as Zidane cautiously tried to maneuver around the spiders. He managed to avoid them and run for the opening as dozens of the insectoids poured out of the opening. I stood at the exit as I dug for another pair of bomb fragments.

"_Hope I can pull this off out of Trance," _I thought as I focused on pouring energy into my palms for the transmutation. To my surprise, I was able to get the seals to glow red.

"Mix! Bomb Fragments, Elemental Fire! Blaze Cannon!"

The bomb fragments disintegrated as their spectral essence shot through my arms and into my right palm. I send the fiery sphere flying right in the center of the plant spiders. Unfortunately, the resulting explosion wasn't nearly as massive as the one I performed while Tranced. While I did take down several spiders, dozens more were left relatively unharmed as more crawled out of the hole.

"Aw, to hell with this!" I groaned as I started running after Zidane and the rest of the group. None of us dared looking back as the sound of more plant spiders echoed throughout the forest.

We came to a small cliff and jumped down, finding one of the plant spiders stuck in a mudhole, struggling to escape. Zidane shouted for us to leave it as we turned, only to come face to face with a trio of the plant monsters.

"No choice…" Zidane grumbled as he drew his daggers. "We got to fight!"

Blank nodded as he unsheathed his sword and Vivi readied his staff. Steiner stood with the princess cradled in his arms as the trapped plant spider behind us finally got itself free. The already agitated monster immediately lunged at Steiner. However, before it could attack the defenseless knight, the plant spider was quickly cleaved in two as I brought my scythe down upon it.

"I…thank you," Steiner reluctantly grumbled as Blank, Zidane, and Vivi annihilated the plant spiders ahead of us with a combination of blades and black magic. With the path clear, we all started running again at full speed, Vivi and Steiner taking the lead as I brought up the rear.

After a minute of running, we could see a light in the far off distance. Vivi and Steiner continued running as I shouted, "The exit! Just a little further!"

"Then what are we waiting on?" Blank insisted as he looked over at Zidane, who was in a pensive mood. "What are you doing, Zidane?!"

"Something's wrong," the tailed bandit simply stated coldly.

"What?" Blank inquired.

Zidane turned to face his longtime friend. "The entire forest is coming after us. Blank, take care of everyone."

"Less talking, more running!" I shouted as the three of us stopped standing around and raced for the exit. I wanted to get out of this forest as quickly as possible, especially since I knew what was coming. As we started to run, the ground started to shake as plant spiders started pouring onto the path from all directions. I managed to get out in front of Zidane and Blank as one of the more eager spiders started rushing towards Zidane…

However, Blank immediately pushed Zidane aside and allowed himself to be caught by the plant spider in his place. Zidane and I turned and drew our weapons as Blank shouted:

"Forget me! Get out of here!"

Before Zidane could say anything, Blank wrestled a rolled up piece of parchment from his belt and tossed it towards us. Behind him, the entire forest was quickly turning to stone. The plant spider holding Blank hostage was beginning to petrify as the spell crept closer and closer to the thief.

"Go!" Blank ordered as the petrification took him. Zidane, eyes somewhat watery, nodded as he and I turned and ran as fast as we could. Along the way, Zidane grabbed the item Blank had tossed off the ground as large, spiked vines started to lunge at us from the forest and the ground, trying to prevent our escape. Zidane vaulted over the vines as I cleaved them down quickly with Talon. With one last burst of speed, both Zidane and I managed to escape Evil Forest as the vines pursuing us wrapped around the exit, sealing the forest. As if that weren't enough, the vines were soon taken by the spell, becoming as hard as rock. Steiner and Vivi said nothing as Zidane rammed his fists into the petrified vines.

"Damn it! That idiot!" Zidane swore as he kicked the stony barrier. He then fell down on his knees as tears threatened to fall from his face. "Blank…"

"Zidane," I said as I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Garnet's still pretty wiped out. We should find a place to rest."

Zidane rubbed his eyes with one of his wrist guards before getting back to his feet. "…Yeah. You're right. Let's set up camp for tonight."

No one said a word as we all turned and started to walk away. Zidane took a brief second to look back at Evil Forest before running back and walking beside us.

After several hours, we had managed to get a nice little camp set up. Steiner remained by Garnet's side as Vivi started a camp fire and Zidane set up a pair of tents. To my surprise, they were relatively compact items that were easily stored until Zidane whispered a short incantation to have them fold out to a full-sized tent. Meanwhile, while I wasn't admiring the tent magic, I was busy behind a small rock with my back to the fire, using a whetstone I had borrowed from Zidane to get the nicks out of Talon's blade. The iron scythe had held up well in battle and had earned its name. Still, I couldn't help but think of Final Chapter and that thieving spirit Gihen…

"Poor Princess…" Vivi said, breaking my train of thought. "I hope she gets well soon."

"This is all his fault!" Steiner barked accusingly as he shook his fist at Zidane. The thief paid him no mind as the knight continued, "Have you nothing to say, you filth?!"

"Ugh…" Garnet moaned as she started to wake up. She sat upright with her legs crossed as Steiner breathed a sigh of relief and Vivi cheered.

"Princess! You have awoken!" Steiner declared.

"…Steiner? How did I survive? Was it you who brought me here?"

"It is my sworn duty to protect you at any cost!" Steiner boasted with a salute.

"What are you talking about?" Zidane interjected. "It was Vivi's magic, my daggers, and whatever the heck that was that Cyrus did…"

"Alchemy," I interrupted.

"Right, Cyrus's alchemy. That's what saved you, Princess."

Garnet nodded. "I thank you all."

"That monkey deserved no praise!" Steiner roared as he turned towards Zidane. "None of this would have happened if you and your band hadn't abducted the princess! And how dare you claim to have rescued her?! When we get back to Alexandria, I will…"

"Steiner…" Garnet interrupted meekly. She hung her head as she explained, "I…left the castle of my own will."

"What a coincidence, huh?" Zidane said with a cocksure grin. "We went to snatch her, and she wanted to be snatched."

"Impossible!" Steiner retorted, refusing to believe what he had heard.

"It is the truth," Garnet insisted.

Zidane then stood up and leaned against a large rock. "So what do you say, Rusty? Friends? Come on, let's just enjoy this camping trip while it lasts."

Steiner was fuming. "Camping…you imbecile! Surely even you must know something about the Mist!"

"…The Mist…it is a malevolent fog that covers this entire continent," I said, standing up and breaking my silence. I turned to face the group as I continued, "The Mist plays tricks on the minds of travelers, and caused them to react violently, savagely. Monsters born from the Mist are strong and bloodthirsty, and they are more than eager to prey on any who dare venture into the haze…"

Apparently, my explanation was a little too graphic for Steiner. "Y…yes, that is right. Princess, we must leave this dangerous place at once!"

"Don't be stupid, Steiner," I said forcefully. "She's still weak from being captured. She's in no condition to be moving."

"Silence! Who asked for your opinion, vagrant?" the knight roared.

"All right, then," Zidane piped in, "you tell me then…how do you plan on getting out of here?"

Steiner looked confused as Zidane explained, "We're standing in a valley surrounded by tall cliffs. And last I heard, North and South Gates were sealed off."

Steiner was silent for several seconds before Zidane said, "Yeah, that's what I thought. Look, the princess can barely walk right now. You went through this. You should know. I think we should rest here for now."

"I will never follow your…"

"Steiner!" Zidane shouted. "State your sworn duty!"

"What else?" Steiner said with a salute. "To protect Princess Garnet til Alexandros!"

The knight, realizing what he just said, finally relented. "Very well. Until the princess recovers, I will guard this place with my life."

Zidane nodded. "Sounds good to me. Vivi, Princess, let's get some sleep."

I found it somewhat funny that Zidane didn't tell me to get some rest, but I decided not to worry about it as I found a soft spot on the ground to lie down on. Seeing as how Zidane only had two tents on him, I was relegated to sleeping outside. Not that I minded, as it wasn't the first time I had to do so.

I looked up into the sky, hoping to see the stars. The Mist, however, was too thick. A bit dismayed at not having the night sky to admire, I quickly dismissed it as I rested my head on my arms and closed my eyes. Not surprisingly, I fell asleep fast, my last thoughts being that of what other surprises I'd find on this journey.

"Walk the path that must be taken…" I muttered before dreamless sleep took hold of me.

**_New Alchemy Abilities:_**

**_Mix-Creates new attacks by mixing items together. Becomes "Combine" when in Trance, increasing the power of the item combinations_**

**_Gale of Clear Sight: A cyclone that heals allies and cures blindness_**

**_Blaze Cannon: A powerful explosion surrounds enemies, burning them with fire_**

**_New Arcana Abilities:_**

**_Exile's Edge-Adds target's elemental weakness to Cyrus Truth's scythe blade. For example, if an enemy is weak to fire, Exile's Edge becomes a Fire-type attack. If the enemy has no elemental weakness, Exile's Edge is a regular attack (learned from iron scythe)_**

**Author's Notes:**

**Truth almighty, that was a tough chapter to write. I had no idea a self-insert would be this challenging. It is a lot of fun, though. And I hope you all are having fun reading it!**

**Reviewer Thank You Time! Thanks to Ranchdressing, ExtremeuGamer, butcherthegirl, FF and STH, Hiiro Mizutani, the Duelist of Dawn, and Dreylen. I tip my hood to all of you!**

**Next chapter: Winter Wonder-Hell**

**There's no rest for the wicked until they close our eyes for good. Therefore, don't use exhaustion as an excuse not to leave a review!**

**See you all on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	7. Winter WonderHell

Despite being in the middle of a massive gorge surrounded by a malevolent fog, I awoke well-rested to the sound of a crackling fire. I turned to see Vivi warming himself as Steiner was asleep on his feet, snoring loudly.

"Morning, Vivi," I quietly said to the black mage as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"G-good morning," Vivi stammered as I walked up and sat down beside him.

I looked around the campsite and noted that the tents were gone, presumably packed away by Zidane. Also missing were Zidane and Garnet.

"Where's Zidane and the princess?" I asked Vivi.

"…Zidane headed back towards Evil Forest. The princess followed him shortly afterward. Must be because of Mister Blank…"

I sighed as I placed a hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Don't worry. There's bound to be something that can cure him. If not, I'll just come up with something using my alchemy once I learn more about my abilities. So cheer up, all right?"

"Really?" Vivi asked me, his eyes almost pleading me to say yes. I smiled and nodded, which seemed to put Vivi's mind at ease as we sat by the fire. Several minutes later, we heard the sound of footsteps as two figures emerged from the Mist.

"Hey, Cyrus! About time you woke up!" Zidane shouted as he and Garnet huddled around our campfire.

I waved my hand dismissively. "You try toasting a giant plant monster and three of its minions by yourself and tell me how you feel in the morning. We ready to go?"

Zidane nodded. "There's a cavern that supposedly leads above the Mist. With North and South Gates closed, that's probably our best bet."

"Works for me," I replied as I got to my feet and kicked dirt into the fire, putting it out. Vivi stood up as he looked out towards the petrified forest. "There's something coming!"

Zidane and I reached for our weapons before realizing that it was Monty, the moogle we'd met in Evil Forest. Monty landed in the middle of our little group as he excitedly hopped in place.

"Kupo! I'm impressed, kupo! First time I've ever seen anyone escape Evil Forest! You all must be strong, kupo!"

Zidane smiled smugly at that as he looked over towards Garnet, hoping the moogle's praise impressed the princess. The princess paid him no mind as Monty held up his paw, warningly.

"But don't get cocky, kupo! Lots of stronger monsters ahead! If you're going out into the world, I'd suggest you be extra careful, kupo!"

"Not a problem," I said as I shouldered Talon. "We'll be just fine."

The moogle nodded as he reached for something behind him. "I have a gift for you, kupo! Take this flute. With it, you can call Moguo anywhere in the world."

Zidane knelt and accepted the flute from Monty. "Thanks. This'll come in handy."

Monty nodded. "Well, I'm off, kupo. With Evil Forest petrified, I need to find a new home. Happy trails, kupo!"

"Thank you," Garnet said with a slight bow.

"Bye!" Vivi said we turned and started walking away. Monty waved goodbye as I stopped besides Steiner, who by means unknown to me was still sound asleep. Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi kept walking as I smirked and whacked Steiner in the helmet with the staff of my scythe.

The iron scythe collided with the iron helm with a loud "CLANG!" as Steiner woke up in a start. I sheathed Talon as I started walking away. Steiner howled from the ringing in his ears as he roared at me, "YOU VAGABOND! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"Um…" Monty piped up, catching Steiner's attention. "Your friends are leaving, kupo."

"Wha? Princess, wait for me!" Steiner exclaimed as he broke out into a run, his armor creaking all along the way. I had to laugh as Steiner completely ignored me, rushing to catch up to Zidane and Garnet out in front. Monty continued waving goodbye as we ventured into the Mist.

The journey through the Mist was fairly peaceful, all things considered. Zidane, having the map, led the way as he told Garnet stories about his many adventures as a member of Tantalus while Steiner stayed close behind them, keeping a leery eye on the two of them. Vivi and I followed behind Steiner, as Vivi told me about how he ended up in this mess.

Monsters occasionally appeared through the Mist to challenge us, but they were little match for us. Zidane and I would charge in as Vivi supported us with black magic. Garnet would focus on healing us with her white magic while Steiner guarded her with his life. Any monsters clever enough to get past Zidane, Vivi, and myself found themselves quickly cleaved by Steiner's broadsword. Because of this formation, the goblins, pythons, and mus native to this area stood no chance and were dealt with swiftly, and Zidane and I quickly took possession of any plunder from the battles.

Zidane and I split the Gil and items held by the goblins, while I also collected the stone the mus used to attack with. The "mu stones" as I called them were incredibly smooth and light for rocks, and I could feel a faint energy coming from them. Thinking they might be useful Mix items, I pocketed them as our party continued marching through the Mist.

After several hours of walking, we finally reached our destination: a cavern that was completely covered on the inside with ice. A strong wind blew through the cavern and out its mouth, chilling even me with my thick coat to the bone.

"Well, this must be the cavern," Zidane commented. While I was a bit cold, Zidane in only his vest and thin pants must've been freezing.

"Um…Zidane…" Vivi piped up.

Zidane turned to face the black mage. "What's up, Vivi?"

"Have you ever heard of the Ice Cavern?" Vivi asked.

Zidane nodded. "Is this the place?"

"I think so. It's supposed to be near Evil Forest."

"I've heard of it as well," Garnet added. "It's supposed to be a beautiful place, covered in ice."

"Well, personally, I'd prefer a nice warm beach myself," I muttered. The others looked at me strangely before turning back to Vivi.

"My grandpa told me about this place. He said it takes travelers to the top of the Mist."

"Bravo!" Steiner said with a salute. "Master Vivi's grandfather must be quite the scholar. We must thank him upon escaping the Mist!"

Vivi's gaze lowered a bit as he started wringing his hands. "My grandpa used to teach me lots of things, but he passed away…"

Steiner, realizing his gaff, said in a low tone, "Oh…forgive my indiscretion."

Vivi walked up to the knight and looked him in the eyes. "Don't worry about it, Mister Steiner."

"Well…" Zidane chimed in, breaking the somber mood. "Why don't we go inside, then?"

With that, Zidane led our party into the maw of the cavern. And just like in the game, we found ourselves surrounded by slick, thick sheets of ice covering the walls, ceiling, and floor. On a small outcropping in front of the entrance was a perfectly preserved patch of frozen flowers. Garnet gasped as she knelt near them.

"Oh, what a beautiful place! Seeing the actual cavern is so much better than reading about it!" Garnet exclaimed as she reached for one of the frozen flowers. "How pretty…I wonder what kind of flower this is…"

"Princess!" Steiner insisted. "Please, do not touch anything!"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, leave her alone. Let her enjoy herself."

"Silence! Have you no concern for her safety?" Steiner demanded.

"Hey, can we stop arguing and get moving? I'm freezing here!" Zidane interjected.

"Agreed. Come, let us proceed," Garnet declared as she got back to her feet and followed Zidane and Vivi. Steiner shot me yet another dirty look before following suit, leaving me to bring up the rear.

As you would expect from a place called the Ice Cavern, the place was freezing. Fierce winds blew along the ice-coated paths as we carefully pressed forward, making sure not to slip. Still, it seemed that, in spite of the ice, Zidane was still as nimble as ever, as he took time to jump at every possible frozen treasure chest along the path. Why anyone left treasure in a place like this was beyond me, but if there's one thing I've learned, it's to not question Final Fantasy logic.

We pressed forward into another section of the cavern when Zidane stopped us. He walked up onto a frozen ice floe and rapped on a wall of ice. As he rapped, the wall seemed to echo, meaning it was relatively thin.

"I think something's behind here," Zidane explained. "Wonder what it is. Hey Cyrus, think you can use that Blaze Cannon of yours to melt the ice?"

"Sure I could," I answered sarcastically. "Of course, Blaze Cannon would probably also destroy whatever's behind there, if anything. Besides, I've only got a handful of bomb fragments left. I can't be wasting them just to sate your desire for treasure hunting."

Zidane put on a pouting face. "You could have just said no, ya know."

The tailed thief then turned to Vivi. "What about you, Vivi? Think you can melt it with your black magic?"

Vivi nodded. "I'll t-try."

Vivi carefully walked up to where Zidane was standing as he rubbed his gloved hands and focused his energy. Seconds later, Vivi casted a weakened version of the Fire spell, which melted the ice sheet and revealed a treasure chest.

"Awesome!" Zidane shouted as he opened the chest and took the loot as he said to himself, "You know, I bet there's got to be other treasures behind walls like this one. Vivi, I'm counting on you!"

"S-sure!" Vivi replied, still shivering.

Garnet applauded Vivi's work as Steiner smiled approvingly at the black mage. However, as Garnet turned to start walking again, she slipped on the ice and slid right into a gust of wind. Steiner, instinct kicking in, ran to grab the princess and help her back to her feet.

"Princess! Are you all right?" Steiner asked.

Garnet nodded. "Yes, I am not…wait, what is that sound?"

Everyone in our party started looking feverishly for the sound…a low grumbling that echoed off of the Ice Cavern's walls. I then remembered something about this particular area as I unsheathed Talon.

"Heads up!" I shouted. "They're coming!"

_**(Play Final Fantasy VII: Standard Boss Music)**_

As if they had materialized from the wind itself, two large, tusked monsters with bluish fur emerged from out of nowhere. The two monsters, who I recognized as wyerds, were growling at our party as they pawed the ice-covered ground.

"The wind blows along our path…"

"Huh?" Zidane blurted out. The thief had little time to react as one of the wyerds rushed him, forcing Zidane to defend himself with his daggers. However, the beast's raw power shoved Zidane on his ass and sent him sliding back close to a ledge. Zidane, ever quick, stopped himself from sliding off into oblivion by jabbing his daggers into the ice, using them as anchors.

Meanwhile, the wyerds turned their attention to me and Steiner, as Garnet stood behind Steiner, grasping her rod tightly. Vivi was behind me, seemingly focusing his magical energies. The wyerds rushed both Steiner and me, but we both were able to stop them from simply pushing us back like they did with Zidane. Steiner, the perennial powerhouse, actually shoved his wyerd back and went for an overhead chop, which the wyerd took on the tusk.

I, however, wasn't having as much luck as I struggled to maintain my footing on the slick ice. Zidane, seeing my predicament, rushed over to help me push the wyerd back as he and I both went for strikes with our respective weapons. The wyerd parried Talon, but Zidane's daggers dug into the monster's hide. However, they only scratched the monster as it and its partner rammed their head into Zidane's chests. The monster's partner, coincidentally, hit me dead center with a Blizzard spell. Both of us were send sliding back as both of us used our blades to anchor ourselves.

"Blasted monsters!" Steiner growled as he continued to act as a shield for Garnet. "They are quite formidable!"

"Not for long," I replied menacingly as I reached for a pair of bomb fragments. Having had enough of the wyerds, I decided to end this with a boom.

"Mix! Bomb Fragments, Elemental Fire! Blaze Cannon!"

Like usual, I felt the items dematerialize and run from my left hand to my right. However, instead of a red glow, my palms were glowing blue.

And when I went to launch Blaze Cannon, all I got was a puff of steam.

Before I could say "What the hell," one of the wyerds rammed into me, digging one of its tusks into my side. The wyerd started to shake me violently as I felt my energy start to be drained. The monster, seemingly sapping my strength, sent me flying into a wall. I could feel the warm blood start to flow from my wound as Zidane shouted something about helping me out.

At that moment, Vivi raised his staff and shouted "Fire!"

A massive inferno, almost as big as the one that I created with Blaze Cannon in Trance, surrounded the wyerds and consumed them. The wyerds howled in agony as their immolation continued, until they were reduced to ashes. As Vivi's supercharged Fire spell subsided, the black mage fell down on his rear as his eyes grew bigger than usual.

"W-w-wow…did I just do that?"

_**(End Music)**_

With the threat of the wyerds dealt with, Zidane and Steiner moved to help Vivi up as Garnet began casting a Cure spell. As Garnet used her white magic, I could feel the wound on my side close and heal as my energy returned. I got back to my feet just as Zidane was helping Vivi to his.

"Holy hell, Vivi," Zidane said with a low whistle. "Where did that come from?"

Vivi wrung his hands nervously as he answered, "Well…when Cyrus and Mister Steiner were holding those monsters back, I just focused my magic power. And when I cast that spell…well, I didn't think it would be that huge. Is…is that okay?"

"I'd say so!" I said with a chuckle. "Hell, Vivi…you put my Blaze Cannon to shame with that Fire spell of yours. Thanks for cleaning up that mess."

"Speaking of your Blaze Cannon," Zidane interjected, "what happened? Why didn't it work?"

I shrugged. "Not sure. For some reason, my palms glowed blue instead of red when I went to create the alchemy. Maybe…maybe what happened is that when I went to use Elemental Fire, my mind was too focused on the cold and I used Elemental Water instead. That would explain the steam."

"You buffoon!" Steiner shouted. "Had it not been for Master Vivi saving us, your shoddy alchemy would've gotten us all killed!"

"This coming from the guy who, when he had the chance, didn't use sword magic?" I rebutted. When Steiner didn't reply back, I continued, "Listen, I'm still learning about my abilities, and we all make mistakes. So let's forget about it and move on."

Steiner, looking like he wanted to continue arguing, decided that it wasn't worth it as he simply grunted. The wind started to pick up again as a stream showed up, blocking the path.

"'The wind blows along our path,'" Zidane recalled. "You don't suppose…"

I nodded. "Those beasts weren't your typical monsters. I'm guessing that wind is somewhat enchanted. We try to walk in it, I'm willing to bet that more of them will attack us."

"So…we wait for the wind to subside before proceeding?" Garnet piped in.

Both Zidane and I nodded as the wind died down. We all quickly walked past just before the wind kicked up again.

"We move when and where the wind's not blowing," I said as everyone nodded (except for Steiner, who simply snarled). I shouldered Talon as Zidane sheathed his daggers and took point, as we ventured deeper into the Ice Cavern.

Even with avoiding the wind blowing through the Ice Cavern, we still managed to run into monsters. However, the cave imps and flans that called the cavern home were small fries compared to the wyerds, as Vivi's magic and Steiner's Fire Sword made quick work of them. The cave imps, like the goblins from earlier, carried a various assortment of items and Gil that Zidane and I split. I also pocketed the imps' strange vials of liquid that apparently acted as sleep potions. Knowing what I could potentially do with them with my alchemy, I took as many as I could.

This continued on for some time as we walked through the Ice Cavern, Zidane taking as much treasure as he could with the help of Vivi's Fire spell, the biggest find being a Mage Masher dagger. Zidane, thrilled to pick up a new weapon, replaced one of his standard daggers with it as he allowed me to hold onto his spare in case I needed it.

We finally reached a fork in the road, the right path howling with wind and the left relatively clear. In fear of more wyerds, Zidane led our party left. To our dismay, it lead to a dead end. However, at the far end of the path was an altar-like outcropping with a large ice sphere sitting on top. As we approached the outcropping, we saw that the sphere contained a frozen moogle!

"Wow…sucks to be him," I said.

Garnet jabbed me in the arm. "How can you be so cruel? The poor thing…"

Steiner chuckled at Garnet's verbal lashing of me as Zidane whispered in Vivi's ear. Vivi nodded as he held his staff up and whispered "Fire…"

The low-grade Fire spell melted the ice almost instantly as the moogle was freed. However, some remnants of the spell fell like embers on the moogles pom-pom as he yelped in pain, hopping around like a madman. I had to restrain myself from laughing as the moogle finally put the embers out and shook his paw at us.

"Ow! Damn it! That hurt, you bastards!" the moogle cursed. It was at that moment that he realized that he was free. "Wow…thanks for freeing me, kupo! Sorry about yelling at you like that."

"Um, that's all right," Zidane assured the feisty, foul-mouthed moogle. "Who are you?"

"Name's Mois, kupo!" the moogle stated proudly. "I live here because I can't really stand humans…or a lot of other moogles for that matter. So I set myself up here to keep away from the assholes, kupo."

Garnet, a bit slack-jawed at Mois's language, nonetheless managed to ask, "So, how did you end up in that ice?"

That seemed to raise the moogle's ire. "Oh, that? Some prick with wings on his back iced me not too long ago…at least, I don't think it was too long ago. He was traveling around with a couple weirdos, kupo. If I ever see them again, kupo…"

"Right, well…we're glad to have helped you out, Mois," I replied. "But we really need to get going…"

Mois nodded. "If you're looking for the exit, it's the path on the right at that fork you came across. But that wind's super-cold, kupo!"

"We'll be careful," I said as we started to turn and walk away.

"Wait!" Mois shouted as he flew over to me and held out a letter. "Listen, kupo…if you're leaving, you gotta deliver a letter for me to Gumo. So do it, kupo!"

The others looked at me strange as I shrugged and took the letter. Mois nodded as he jabbed me in the forehead with his paw.

"And don't lose it, kupo!"

I nodded as we left Mois's little hole in the cavern and headed back to the fork in the path. We all braced ourselves as we headed down the right path…

Our party trudged through the thick snow for several minutes before reaching a section of the cavern with a lower ledge to our rights. Everyone, myself included, was shivering and trying to warm ourselves. Zidane turned to check on everyone and noticed that Vivi was trailing behind.

"Come on Vivi! Hurry up or you'll be left behind!"

"I-I'm c-c-coming," Vivi managed to stammer as he slowly caught up to us. We all turned to start walking until Vivi fell over unconscious onto the lower ledge.

"M-master Vivi!" Steiner said through chattering teeth as he walked over to check on the black mage. "Are you…are you…"

Steiner's voice trailed off as he too fell unconscious due to the cold and fell onto the ledge in a heap next to Vivi. Garnet, shivering, fell to her knees as Zidane used a natural stone ladder to climb down and check on Steiner and Vivi.

"Damn it, you two!" Zidane shouted as he walked over to Steiner and started kicking him. "Rusty, you too…you're not all right, are you? Come on, wake up!"

When Steiner didn't make any movement, Zidane kicked him harder.

"Come on, Rusty…move it or lose it!" Zidane shouted as I looked over to Garnet, who was starting to fade.

"It's no use…Cyrus, we better…" 

"Zidane!" I shouted as Garnet fell unconscious. "The princess!"

That got Zidane moving as he crawled up the ladder in record time and ran over to the princess. He cradled the princess in his arms as he tried to get her to wake up. After a minute of shaking, he finally set her down.

"Garnet…not you too," Zidane muttered as he stood to face me. "They're all out cold. Cyrus, we need to…need…damn it, I'm falling asleep too…"

"Zidane!" I shouted as the thief collapsed as well. I ran over to shake him, but found him completely unresponsive. I could feel the cold start to numb me from the inside as I fought the encroaching slumber…

"Really pathetic, Cyrus…"

"_That voice," _I said to myself with a growl as I stood up and saw Gihen standing in the exit with his back to the wind. He was decked out in an assortment of warm furs as he held Final Chapter crucifix-style on his shoulders.

"Come on, Cy…you're going to have to be tougher than this if you want to continue playing."

"Screw…you…" I said through clenched teeth, still freezing but renewed with the heat of hatred.

Gihen laughed. "There you go! Anyway, as I'm sure you noticed in your fight with that Plant Brain back in Evil Forest, there's been some subtle and not-so-subtle changed made to the game itself. After all, with your knowledge of the game, it wouldn't be challenging enough to just have you waltz on through without any surprises. But I'm sure you'll manage just fine…and if not, I'm sure your death will be most epic to watch."

"Why don't you try and kill me yourself?" I challenged the demon as I unsheathed Talon. "See for yourself if you can make me die."

"Thanks, but I'll pass," Gihen said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Besides, you've got more immediate concerns than little old me. For instance…"

Gihen pointed behind him as I heard a bell ringing in the distance. I heard moaning at my feet as I looked to see Zidane stirring. I turned back to face Gihen, only to see that he had vanished yet again.

"Ugh…" Zidane groaned as he got back to his feet. "Cyrus…you didn't pass out…"

"No…" I said. "I managed to remain awake. I was trying to figure out how to wake you all up when I heard a bell ringing in the distance."

"A…bell? What could it be?"

"Don't know," I answered as I started to head towards the sound. "But I'm going to find out."

"Wait…" Zidane said as he quickly downed a potion. "I'm coming with you."

I was about to argue with Zidane, but seeing his face I decided it was meaningless. Zidane and I trudge through the snow before arriving at a frozen waterfall. We both listened for the bell again to figure out where it was coming from, when…

"Why didn't you fall asleep? You both should be dead by now!"

Zidane and I instinctively dropped into our fighting stances as a figure swooped down from a ledge above. It wore a tattered reddish-brown tunic and had a pair of decrepit wings on his back. Above all that, it looked like a black mage, complete with the steepled hat and black fog-like face…but instead of round yellow eyes like Vivi, it's eyes were slanted and glowing red.

"You! Are you the one causing this blizzard?" Zidane demanded.

"Hee-hee-hee! That's right!" the mage said as he rang a bell he carried in his right hand. "I am Black Waltz No. 1! And I'm here to collect the Princess."

"Yeah…that's not happening," I said as my grip tightened on my scythe.

The Black Waltz chuckled sinisterly, "Is that so? And you truly believe you can stop me? Hee-hee-hee! You two are mere insects compared to my awesome magical power! I'll crush you if you stand in my way!"

"Oh yeah?" Zidane shouted. "You and what army?"

The Waltz shook his head.

"No army…"

The Waltz turned to the frozen waterfall as he shook his bell.

"Arise, Sealion!"

From the frozen pool of water, a large, scaled walrus-like monster with a blue gem in its chest arose through the ice and slid next to its summoner. The monster, standing fifteen feet tall, flapped its feather-like appendages as the icicles jutted out of its back rattled as the beast roared. The monster, Sealion, stood next to the Black Waltz as I looked over to Zidane.

"Never ask an enemy that question ever again!" I reprimanded Zidane.

"Right, sorry!" Zidane apologized, almost jokingly. "Well, shall we then?"

"Not like we have much of a choice," I replied as I readied Talon for battle, Zidane doing the same with his daggers. The Black Waltz continued to laugh as he commanded his thrall:

"Go, Sealion! Tear them apart!"

_**(Play "Along a New Path" by the Falcom JDK Band)**_

The Sealion, surprising fast for being so large, quickly rushed me as I quickly dodged its initial attack with its wing. The Sealion quickly followed up with another swipe as I was forced to block it with Talon. Without hesitating, the beast breathed an icy wind at me, coating me with ice. I was unable to move my arms as the Sealion swiped at me again, sending me to the ground hard.

Zidane, however, took advantage of it by deftly climbing on the Sealion's back and jabbed his daggers into its scaly neck. The Sealion thrashed in pain as he knocked Zidane off. Zidane, hands tightly on his Mage Masher and off-hand dagger, rolled on the ground before getting back to his feet as I managed to free myself from the ice. The Sealion staggered back towards the Black Waltz as he held his bell up again.

To our surprise, the Black Waltz cast a Blizzard spell right on the Sealion's injured neck. Even more surprising is that the ice magic sealed the wound and eased the monster's pain. The Sealion roared in defiance as the Black Waltz chuckled.

"You see? As long as my Sealion still stands and I still can cast my spells, you'll never be able to defeat us!"

"Is that so?" I shouted back. "So, you think you're invincible, then?"

The Black Waltz nodded. "Of course I'm…"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!" I shouted as I fumbled through my coat. "And if you were smart, you'd be paying more attention to the battlefield…"

"What are you..." The Waltz demanded when he realized that someone was missing. "Where's the tailed one?"

"Right here!" Zidane shouted from behind the Black Waltz. Zidane, having taken the time to sneak behind the Waltz and Sealion, slashing away at the Waltz. The Waltz used its wings to leapt out of the way and countered with spells. Zidane continued to dodge as I continued focusing my energy on one thing…getting the seals on my hands to glow red.

Finally, Zidane managed to dodge the Waltz and Sealion's attacks long enough to land a pair of dagger slashes on the mage's back. Feeling pain for what I imagine was the first time, the Waltz retreated back to the Sealion, who swiped Zidane away from the pair.

At that moment, as Zidane slid on the icy floor towards me, my palms finally glowed red. I smirked as I pulled the items I was looking for from my coat.

"Mix! Bomb Fragment and Mu Stone, Elemental Fire!"

The items again vanished in my left hand and appeared as a red ball of energy in my right. I slammed the energy ball into the ground as I shouted, "Rising Brimstone!"

The ground cracked beneath the Black Waltz and the Sealion as fiery chunks of sulphuric rocks shot up from underneath, hitting both the mage and its monster servant. The force of the Rising Brimstone sent the two flying in separate directions, as the Sealion looked wounded…while the Black Waltz was far more injured.

"No…Sealion, avenge me! Kill them for me!" The Black Waltz shouted as his body started to freeze over…before shattering into frosty dust. The Sealion roared in rage as the gem in its chest turned yellow and it started to jerk.

"Um, Cyrus? I think we made it angry…" Zidane muttered.

"You think?" I said. "Get ready…it's launching another attack!"

The Sealion reeled back as it flapped its wings, as magical energy around it coalesced into a series of sharp icicles. Those icicles, which I assumed was a Blizzara spell, were shot at both me and Zidane as the tailed thief quickly dodged while I used Talon to block several flying towards me. My hands were starting to get numb from the cold as I rushed the Sealion and dug Talon deep into its belly. The Sealion, taking exception to that, lashed out in its agony as the gem on its chest turned from yellow to red. The monster struck me with its wings as Zidane helped me back to my feet.

It was then that the Sealion rose its head and started to bob in place. To Zidane and my horror, the monster summoned a massive wave of water from the waterfall behind it, sending it crashing towards Zidane and me. The force of the wave knocked us both back as we hit the wall hard.

Now cold and soaked, Zidane and I knew that we had to wrap this battle up quickly.

"What's the plan?" I said as the Sealion glared at us.

Zidane thought for a moment before saying, "Can you do that Arcana thing you did in Evil Forest?"

I nodded as Zidane smirked. "You hit him low, I'll hit him high."

"Got it," I said as we both got to our feet and ran towards the Sealion. The monster, looking to defend itself, used its wings to block us from striking its soft belly.

Unfortunately for it, it didn't realize that my scythe blade was already blazing…

"Arcana Number One: Exile's Edge!"

The powerful flames from my scythe allowed me to slice through the Sealion's wings with ease as I cut through the monster's limbs. The Sealion roared in excruciating pain as Zidane, taking advantage, used several rock ledges to jump up on the monster's back and drive his daggers deep into the brain of the monster. The Sealion shook violently as Zidane leapt off the back and stood next to me as it started to fade away. The mighty monster crashed into the frozen waterfall as it started to combust with force, freeing the waterfall and causing the blizzard to end. Water started to flow once more as the Sealion roared its last.

_**(End Music)**_

As Zidane and I fell to our knees gasping for breath, we both heard a voice call out from above: 

"You may have defeated No. 1, but No. 2 and No. 3 will reclaim the princess!"

"Huh? Who's there?" Zidane asked out loud as he and I scanned the ledges above, not seeing the source.

"Nothing…" I muttered.

Zidane shrugged. "Oh, whatever…Cyrus, we better get back and check on the others!"

"Right…" I said as I followed Zidane back toward where Garnet, Vivi, and Steiner had passed out. Before leaving the site of the battle, I took one last look up in the ledge…and for a brief second, I could've sworn I saw two figures standing there. I tried to focus more, but the figures were gone…still, I knew who they were.

"Just keep lining them up, boys…we'll knock them down," I muttered as I rushed after Zidane, concerned about our comrades…

**Author's Notes:**

**It's been a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time, hasn't it? I apologize for the ungodly delay in uploads, but a lot of stuff has been going on the last few months in my life and family and I haven't had a chance to continue this story. But, things have settled down and I'm back to writing this story.**

**So you can call off the search parties.**

**Thanks so much to the reviewers from last chapter: ExtremeuGamer, butcherthegirl, FF and STH, Ranchdressing, Hiiro Mizutani, The Duelist of Dawn, and Dreylen. Again, I apologize for keeping you guys waiting for so long and I hope you'll continue reading and enjoying this story.**

**Next Chapter: New Name, New Town, New Shenanigans**

**It's been so long since I've done a Review Beg Joke, so I'll forgo it this time in favor of asking politely. Yeah, that won't last long.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	8. New Name, New Town, New Shenanigans!

After handling Sealion and the Black Waltz, Zidane and I walked back to check on the others, who by the time we had returned were awake and back on their feet.

"Zidane, Cyrus!" Garnet shouted as we walked up. Steiner, somewhat less than happy to see us again, stomped towards us and started shaking his fist.

"You two! What just happened to us?"

Zidane shrugged. "It was nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, we just scouted ahead and the blizzard ended. We can get out of here now," I chimed in.

Steiner apparently didn't believe us. "You're hiding something…wait a minute. You didn't…touch the princess, did you?"

Before Zidane could speak up, I walked over and got in Steiner's face. "What did you just accuse me of?"

Before Steiner could speak, I cut him off. "Listen you overgrown tin can. The fact that you think so little of me or my values that you would even consider that I would do…that…to an underage girl is almost enough for me to want to take Talon and skin you alive. But seeing as that would cause said girl and the kid to have unimaginable nightmares when they next fall asleep, I won't. But don't ever accuse me of something like that again. Understand?"

"Cyrus, please!" Garnet pleaded as she looked at Steiner. "Steiner, they said nothing happened. Why must you be so rude?"

Steiner, half angry at me and half-ashamed at being browbeaten by Garnet, hung his head and said lowly, "…My apologies, Princess."

Garnet nodded. "Well, I'm glad everyone's safe. Shall we move on, then?"

"Yeah…" Zidane muttered as he looked back towards the exit.

"Zidane, is something bothering you?"

Zidane shook his head and grinned at Garnet. "No…it's nothing. Come on, people. Let's get out of here."

Zidane, as usual, took point as Garnet and Vivi followed behind. Steiner was about to walk away as he turned to me.

I rolled my eyes. "What now, Steiner?"

Steiner cleared his throat before saying, "Forgive me for my rash accusations."

That got my attention. "Say what now? Did you just…apologize?"

"Do not get used to it," Steiner growled before softening his tone. "Despite you being a vagrant, you've been…a somewhat honorable man. I had no right to accuse you of…well…"

I was still in shock at Steiner's attempt at an apology before finally replying. "Um, yeah. Look, let's just let it go. We don't have to like one another, but if we're going to keep walking the same path we may as well not hate one another."

"Very well…but don't think for one second I trust you and that thief. If you do anything to put the princess in danger…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," I said as I walked up beside Steiner. "Look, we best get moving. If I were you, I wouldn't leave the princess alone too long with Zidane. He may not be a pervert, but he is a bit of a letch…"

That seems to perk Steiner's attention. "PRINCESS! WAIT FOR ME!"

I chuckled as I secured Talon in its sheath and followed behind.

Our party finally worked its way up the icy ledges to the exit outside. Upon leaving the Ice Cavern, my eyes were stinging from the sight of sunlight, something I hadn't seen since when I was first dropped into this game. Everyone else was happy to be out of the Mist as well, especially Garnet.

"We made it!" Garnet exclaimed as she stretched out. "The sun feels great!"

Zidane nodded in agreement as he pointed to a small little cluster of buildings in the distance. "Look, there's a village! I think I've been there before."

"It's the Village of Dali," I chimed in, trying to play the worldly traveler that I apparently was in this game. "It's a small little farming community. South Gate's not too far away."

"It sounds like you two have been everywhere," Garnet said with a little envy in her voice. "The only other worlds I've ever visited are in books. Well, if you have been to that village before, let us go visit."

"Sounds good to me," I said as we started walking. Zidane, however, stopped us in our tracks.

"Hold on a minute," the thief said as he faced Garnet. "You're a princess. You can't just go rushing in there. You need a new identity."

"Insolent fool!" Steiner bellowed as he shoved Zidane, causing him to drop his off-handed dagger. "The princess need not sneak around. Besides…"

At this point, Steiner went on a rant about returning to the castle and how Zidane should properly address Garnet more royally while Zidane was mouthing off with equal vigor. As it was, I wasn't paying that much attention as I was collecting my thoughts about my next move. My internal brainstorm was interrupted by Garnet shouting.

"Stop it you two! Steiner, I have no intention of returning to the castle. And I do see Zidane's point…I need a new name."

Garnet knelt down and picked up Zidane's fallen weapon. "Zidane, what is this called?"

"That?" Zidane asked. "That's a dagger. All knives of that length are called daggers. Short swords are a bit longer, and the big swords…"

"Hey, Zidane, I think she gets the idea," I interrupted, which made Zidane pout a little. Obviously, he was continually trying to impress Garnet, but the princess was too busy looking at the knife in her hand.

"Princess, it's a weapon!" Steiner pleaded. "Please be careful!"

Garnet nodded as she finished examining Zidane's dagger and handed it back. "I've decided. From now on, my name…is Dagger! What do you think, Zidane?"

Zidane smirked. "If you're happy, I'm happy. All right, Dagger…now let's work on your speech."

"Zidane, as much fun as I would have listening to you teach royalty the intricacies of plebian vernacular, I think I'll pass," I quipped, flaunting my extensive vocabulary to the surprise of both Zidane and Steiner. "I want to scout ahead a little, maybe check out that mountain next to the village. If I remember correctly, there's a lookout set up there. The people there might know of a way to reach…well, wherever we decide to go next."

"Are you sure?" Zidane asked. "Will you be all right by yourself?"

I nodded. "The village isn't more than a few hours away from here, the mountain even less than that. And it won't be the first time I've been on my own. So yeah, I'll be fine. See you in Dali."

Zidane nodded. "Just don't let those monsters eat you!"

"Duly noted," I said as I nodded once at Vivi and Garnet…or rather, Dagger. "See you guys later."

With that, I headed down the short mountain path as Zidane started working with Dagger on her speech. I chuckled at Zidane's attempts until I got out of earshot, taking my first steps on the plains between me and Dali…

There were a couple of reasons why I wanted to leave the party for a little while. The first was to get some alone time so that I could sort through some of my thoughts. Since the Prima Vista incident, I hadn't had a chance to think about my situation. I merely followed the storyline of the game and acted accordingly, not giving too much thought to the fact that I was essentially a prisoner inside the Final Fantasy IX universe. So I took the time away from Zidane and the others to mull over my situation and figure out what my next moves would have to be, and whether there was a way to convince Gihen to let me go.

As I walked the path from the Ice Cavern to the observatory mountain next to Dali, I came to the conclusion that, until I was strong enough to actually force Gihen to release me, I would continue playing along as best I could. Granted, I doubted Gihen would allow me to become strong enough to overpower him, but I didn't really see any other alternative. Besides, I wasn't about to beg and plead to that conniving, deceptive demon, so I was left with the only option he gave me: play the game and earn my freedom that way.

At any rate, the trip from the Ice Cavern was fairly uneventful, with the only monsters attacking me were the same python monsters that lurked in the Mist and carve spiders. The carve spiders were massive, hardy arachnids, but Exile's Edge made quick work of them. I also harvested the spiders' webbing for another item to use in alchemy. The monsters on the plains also dropped what looked like ore stones, which faintly glowed when I picked them up.

"Hi, there!" an overly cheery voice shouted from behind me after I had finished dicing up a trio of pythons.

I turned to face a familiar monster: a mu. However, unlike the ones outside of Evil Forest, this one looked more like an actual squirrel, its fur being a reddish brown color. It stood on its hind legs and looked at me with big, blue eyes.

"Um, hi? That was you speaking, wasn't it?" I asked.

The mu nodded. "Yep! Hey, you wouldn't have happened to collect any shiny stones from those monsters, have you?"

I dug out some of the ore stones I had gathered and held them out. "These stones?"

The mu jumped up and down excitedly. "Yes! Those ore stones are just what I'm looking for. May I have some?"

Now, having played the game in the past, I would normally have no problem handing the ore stones over to the friendly creature. However, knowing Gihen tinkered with the game in slight ways, I was concerned that the mu would try and gnaw my face off if I gave him what he wanted. Still, I carefully handed the ore stones over with my left hand and kept a grip on my scythe with my right hand.

The mu, thankfully, did not go rabid-squirrel on me and took the stones without a struggle. "Oh, thanks! It's rare to meet a human willing to trust one of us!"

I took a deep breath before replying, "Well, your purple cousins down in the Mist may have something to do with that."

"Hmm, that's true," the mu agreed. His ears perked up before continuing, "Hey, can I tell you a secret?"

"_This is new," _I thought as I said, "Um, sure…I guess."

The mu nodded. "Well, I'm not the only…well, I guess you would call us 'friendly monster' in the world. In fact, there are eight of us in total. If you happen to meet any of them and help them out, it will help you overcome a very dangerous enemy down the road. So if you happen to see any of my friends, be sure to be as generous to them as you were to me, okay?"

Knowing exactly what the mu was referring to, I nodded. "No problem. Thanks for the tip."

"You're welcome! Be sure to say hi to Mr. Ghost for me, okay?" the mu exclaimed as he ran off into the nearby woods. I chuckled as I shouldered Talon and continued towards the mountain observatory.

After another half hour of walking and slaying any unfortunate monster that ended up in my way, I reached the cabin at the bottom of the mountain. And it was there that I caught the smell of freshly-brewed coffee drifting in the air.

That brings us to my second reason for going off on my own.

I entered the cabin as an old man was finishing pouring himself a cup.

"Howdy, traveler," the old man said as he took a sip of his coffee. "Name's Morrid. Don't get too many folks out this way save for the villagers at Dali."

"Yeah, I happened to be walking by," I replied. "I've been walking for days on end and this seemed like a good spot to take a quick break. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Morrid assured me as he poured another cup. "Care for some coffee?"

Secretly in my head, I was jumping for joy. Outwardly, I said politely, "Yes, thank you!"

Morrid handed me a cup as I started sipping on the piping hot beverage. I haven't had a cup of coffee since being dropped in this universe and I was in desperate need of one. The fact that Morrid was a coffee aficionado and could brew a great batch of coffee made it all the sweeter.

I downed my cup in record time as Morrid smiled and poured me another, which I thanked him profusely for. Drinking the second cup a little more slowly, I chatted with Morrid about my travels through the Mist and the Ice Cavern (conveniently leaving out the part where I was a fugitive from the Alexandrian Crown). Morrid seemed to enjoy the story as my gaze drifted to a model airship he had on a shelf over his bed.

"Hey, that's the Prima Vista, isn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah, bought it at an auction in Treno," Morrid explained. "Cost me a pretty Gil, I tell you. Truth be told, all I really wanted was some rare coffee."

"I can see why it was expensive. The details are incredible," I said, admiring the model.

That seemed to pique Morrid's curiosity. "Would you like to have it?"

I spun around to face the old man. "You mean it?"

"I never lie...however, I can't just let you have it," Morrid replied. "But I will trade it for some rare coffee. There are three types of coffee I want to try: Moccha Coffee, Burman Coffee, and Kirman Coffee. Get those three for me, and I'll give you the model. Sound fair to you?"

I nodded. "Sure…but when I bring that coffee to you, I want to try it myself. So if you let me have a cup or two after you've brewed it, you've got a deal."

Morrid chuckled. "So you're just another coffee lover like me! All right, deal. I couldn't tell you where to find those coffees, but a traveler like you should be able to figure it out."

"Not a problem," I said with a nod as I finished my cup of coffee. "Well, thanks for the coffee, but I've got to get moving. I'll be back once I find those rare coffees."

"Don't dawdle too much," Morrid teased. "I'm not getting any younger. And here."

Morrid handed me a small canteen filled with coffee. "One for the road. Now get going!"

"Thanks!" I said as I took the canteen and waved goodbye to Morrid. I sipped at the coffee in the canteen as I headed for Dali, feeling much better than I've felt since coming to this world…

After a few minutes of walking, I made it to the village of Dali. The windmill in the far corner of the village was rotating gently as I headed for the inn at the village's entrance.

The innkeeper was muttering something or another to himself when I walked in. He immediately stopped as he collected himself and asked, "Yes, can I help you?"

"Yes, has a traveling party of four came in recently? One had a tail, one was a pretty young girl, one was a kid, and the other wore heavy armor."

"Ah, yes…you're Mister Cyrus? The one with the tail told me to tell you that they were waiting in the main room, just through that door."

"Thanks," I said as I passed by a moogle. Something clicked in my head as I asked, "Hey…you wouldn't happen to be Gumo, would you?"

"Kupo!" the moogle shouted. "Yes, I'm Gumo. How did you know, kupo?"

"Lucky guess," I said as I handed Mois's letter to Gumo. "Mois asked me to deliver a letter to a Gumo, so I figured…"

"I see," Gumo replied. "Well, I don't really like Mois, but thanks for delivering the letter for me, kupo!"

"No problem," I said as Gumo went about reading his letter. I headed for the room that Zidane and the others were staying in and walked in.

Sure enough, Zidane, Dagger, Vivi, and Steiner were all inside. "Cyrus!" Zidane exclaimed. "Where were you?"

"At the observatory," I answered. "Spoke to an old man who lives there and shared some coffee with him. Other than that, he didn't seem to know anything else."

"Well, that's all right," Zidane said with a shrug. "Glad to have you back. We're all pretty beat, so we should probably call it a day."

I could see the sun start to dip below the horizon from the window in the room. "Sounds good to me."

"But," Zidane said as he looked over towards where Dagger was sitting on a bed, "before we turn it, I have to ask you something, Dagger. Why did you wanna leave the castle?"

Dagger lowered her gaze, somewhat embarrassed. "If the theater ship hadn't crashed…"

"It would have arrived at the neighboring regency of Lindblum," Zidane stated. It took a few seconds of silence before it dawned on the thief. "You were gonna leave Alexandria?"

Dagger nodded slowly as Zidane started to pace around the room. "I see. If you hadn't been caught, you would've reached Lindblum by now. But now, we'll have to cross South Gate by foot. Border crossing on foot, eh? Not exactly gonna be a cakewalk."

"Zidane, please understand," Dagger said, a tinge of determination in her tone. "There is a reason why I must leave this kingdom. I cannot tell you why…but please…"

Zidane didn't even hesitate. "I understand. Don't worry, I'll get you to Lindblum somehow."

"I've heard enough!" Steiner bellowed as he walked up between Zidane and Dagger. "Princess, you cannot trust the words of a thief. He may expose you to even more danger, like he did in Evil Forest! I beg of you, Princess. Please return with me to the castle."

"Hey, I know I screwed up in Evil Forest," Zidane retorted at Steiner before puffing his chest. "But there's no doubt in my mind now. I'll protect Dagger with my life!"

"Guys," I muttered quietly. Both Steiner and Zidane ignored me.

"Nonsense!" the thickheaded knight shouted. "It is I who protect the Princess, now and forever!"

"Guys…" I muttered again, a little more forcefully this time.

"Then tell me," Zidane countered, "how do you intend to take her back to the castle?"

"Guys!" I said with increased tone, which finally got Zidane and Steiner's attention. "Look."

I pointed over to where Vivi was lying. The little black mage was sound asleep, completely oblivious to the world.

"Master Vivi," Steiner said in a low tone.

"He was tired," Zidane replied. "But you had to go on a tirade."

Steiner growled and looked like he was about to say something unflattering before I chimed in, "Both of you need to can the hostility. We're all tired, so let's just get some sleep. We'll sort out our next destination in the morning."

Both Zidane and Steiner looked at one another before looking at me and nodding. I stood up from the bed I was sitting on.

"You guys can have the beds. I'll be fine on the floor tonight."

Steiner nodded once, almost as if to say "thanks" as he got comfortable on the bed parallel to Dagger's and fell asleep almost instantly. Zidane tossed me a pillow from his bed as both he and Dagger fell asleep in their respective beds. I took the pillow and got as comfortable as I could on the floor. It wasn't as soft as I thought it would be, but I managed to get nestled enough to doze off into dreamless, deep sleep.

I woke up before the others, the sun's first rays of light just starting to peek over the eastern horizon. My back was stiff from sleeping on the hardwood floor, but I was fine regardless. I carefully picked up Talon and crept out of the room. The innkeeper was still sound asleep as the desk was left unmanned.

"_Not going to get breakfast here," _I thought as I left the inn and examined the village in more detail. There was a weapon shop across from the inn and a large house next to it, which I knew was the mayor's house. A pile of various machine parts had been built up between the mayor's house and the weapon shop. Next to that was the grain mill with the windmill on top, and next to that was another little building which looked like a tavern. Hoping that it was open for business and, more importantly, they had breakfast, I walked up the dirt road to the tavern and entered.

"Hello!" a cheery voice greeted me as I walked through the doorway. "Give me a minute and I'll be out to help you."

I had a seat at one of the tables. There was no one else in as the source of the voice, a ten year old girl, walked out from the kitchen area, her hands folded politely in front of her.

"I'm sorry," the girl said. "The adults aren't here, and I'm afraid we're not serving any alcohol right now."

"Actually, I'm here for breakfast," I explained. "But, if you're by yourself, I guess…"

"Oh, really?" the girl asked. "Well, that's a different story. I can fix you some scrambled eggs and bacon, if you'd like."

I smiled. "That would be fantastic. What's your name?"

"Slai," the girl said. "Just wait right here, I'll get that for you."

"You're a lifesaver," I said as the girl chuckled. She immediately headed for the kitchen and started cooking as I sat in my chair and tried to relax. Several minutes later, Slai came out with a plate full of eggs and bacon, along with a cup of milk.

"Here you go," Slai said. "That'll be 50 Gil."

I handed Slai the money and thanked her again as she went back to her duties. Being as hungry as I was, I immediately wolfed down the breakfast in a matter of a few minutes. Now happily full, I sipped on the farm-fresh milk for a good while, enjoying the moment of relative peace.

Yeah, that peace didn't last very long.

About fifteen minutes after I had finished my breakfast, the sound of clanking armor reached my ears. Sure enough, Steiner came walking into the tavern, looking like a man on a mission.

"Morning, Steiner," I said as I finished my milk and stood up. "You looking for breakfast too?"

Steiner turned to face me. "Oh, it's you. Um…yes! I am looking for breakfast. Who is running this establishment?"

"Slai is," I said as I pointed to the counter where Slai was stationed.

"Good morning, sir," Slai said as she came out from behind the counter.

"This young girl?" Steiner said, befuddled. "But, but…where are the adults?"

"Not here," I said. "This girl's running the store. And she's a good cook, so she'll be able to fix you up."

"Oh, are you hungry? I'd be happy to make you some breakfast," Slai chimed in.

Steiner looked a little nervous. "Um, hrmm…well, as much as I would like that, I am unable to pay for it. Perhaps you would exchange food for labor? I'm certain there are chores that I would be able to assist you in!"

"Really, Steiner?" I asked. "I could lend you some Gil if you're strapped for cash."

Steiner recoiled at that suggestion. "I do not want to sully my hands by borrowing money from you!"

Slai looked a bit confused at this exchange. "Okay…well, if you don't mind chopping some firewood…"

Steiner immediately straightened up and saluted. "Very well! I shall commence with firewood chopping!"

With that, Steiner immediately headed for the back door and started chopping wood. Slai looked at me with a perplexed look as I shrugged.

"He's a bit…strange. But he's a good worker, so don't worry."

"Oh…" Slai muttered. "Well, okay then. At least I don't have to chop firewood now. Thanks for stopping in, mister."

"Thanks for a delicious breakfast," I replied as I waved goodbye and headed back outside. The sun was up and the children of the village were out and about. However, they all seemed to be muttering amongst themselves and pointing at another kid…Vivi. I walked up to Vivi who was standing at the corner of the grain mill.

"You all right, Vivi?" I asked as I walked up.

Vivi was a bit startled as he turned around. "Oh, Cyrus! Yeah…I'm fine. The other kids though…"

I nodded knowingly. "Guess they've never seen a black mage before. Don't worry about it, Vivi…kids will be like that."

"I guess so…" Vivi said as his voice trailed off. He wrung his hands like he always does and said, "Well, I'm just gonna look at the windmill some more."

"That's fine," I said. "If you need me, I'll be at the weapon shop. Okay?"

"Alrighty," Vivi said as he looked up at the windmill. I could've sworn I heard him sigh to himself, but I decided not to press the issue as I headed for the weapon shop. But just as I was going inside, I was stopped by Zidane who had just left the inn.

"Hey, Cyrus! I see you're up and about."

I nodded. "Went looking for breakfast. The little girl running the tavern helped me out with that. So, I take it you just woke up?"

"Yeah. Everyone else was up and about before I was. Although I could've sworn…ah, never mind, it's not important. So, have you seen anyone else?" Zidane asked.

"I saw Steiner at the tavern a little while ago. Vivi's over by the grain mill looking at the windmill," I answered.

"Thanks! Listen, we need to figure out where we're going next. You mind heading for the inn?"

"Nope," I said. "I'm just going to do some quick shopping at the weapon shop first."

"Sounds good," Zidane replied as he headed off towards where Vivi was standing. I, for my part, headed inside the weapon shop.

Unsurprisingly, the weapon shop didn't have any new scythes to purchase. However, I did take the time to buy a new set of clothes, which I took with me to the inn and changed into. I was lying on one of the beds when Dagger walked in.

"Oh, Cyrus. Zidane asked you to come back here?"

"Yep," I said. "He wants to discuss plans for crossing the border, I guess."

"I see," Dagger said as she sat down on one of the other beds. She sat there quietly for a few minutes before saying, "Cyrus, I would like to…no, I just want to say thank you for your assistance…I mean, your help in getting here."

"Still struggling on speaking like a commoner?" I said with a chuckle as she shot me an angry look. "All right, sorry. Look, as far as the help…like I told Steiner on the Prima Vista, I'm just doing what I want. But you're welcome regardless. And don't worry about your speech…you'll get better at it with practice."

"Thanks!" Dagger said as I chuckled and went back to relaxing. Not a minute later, Zidane walked in.

"Hey guys! Were you waiting long?" the thief asked as he walked up to Dagger. "I asked Vivi to head back, so he should be here soon. So Dagger, how do you like this village? Pretty different from the castle, I bet."

"Yes," Dagger replied. "The kids are very energetic, and there are so many things to see. I've never walked around so freely in my life! But…where are all the adults?"

"Good question," I said. "It's not often you see a ten year old girl running a tavern."

"Yeah," Zidane said. "I used to see them tending the farm next to the village."

"But that farm is so tiny," Dagger replied.

Zidane nodded. "Yeah, there's something strange going on…so we're leaving as soon as Vivi gets back.

"But, what about Steiner?"

Zidane waved his hand dismissively at Dagger as he grinned. "I've got a good plan for crossing South Gate. It's gonna be easy! They're not looking for the rest of us, so we'll just hide you. Forget about Rusty, leave everything to me!"

I had to chuckle at Zidane's exuberance. At any rate, I relaxed on the bed as Zidane began regaling Dagger with more of his stories of thievery. I paid little attention as I stared at the ceiling. Fifteen minutes later, and Zidane was in the middle of his story.

"So it didn't matter that we snuck inside. But the Kings were hiding something in their mansion…"

At that point, I stood up and headed for the door as Zidane shouted, "Hey, Cyrus! My story's that boring?"

I shook my head. "I'm heading out to look for Vivi."

"That's right," Dagger admitted. "I'm concerned for Vivi, too. Why isn't he back yet?"

Zidane nodded his head. "You're right. He is late. I'm not worried about Steiner, but Vivi I'm not so sure about. Let's go look for him."

"Think he might still be staring at the windmill in the town square?" I asked.

"That's where he was last I saw him. So let's start looking there," Zidane suggested.

Both Dagger and I nodded as we headed out of the inn. I had the strong urge to spill what this village's secret really was, but I bit my tongue and stayed silent as we started searching for our black mage friend…

Because I failed to do this last chapter:

New Mix Combinations

Rising Brimstone: Sulphuric rocks rise from the ground, damanging enemies with fire (Mu Stone and Bomb Fragment)

**Author's Notes:**

**Not much action, but a good bridge chapter for the next section. And there will be action aplenty in that one, so stay tuned!**

**Thanks go out to butcherthegirl, FF and STH, ExtremeuGamer, The Duelist of Dawn, Ranchdressing, and NobodiesHiiro for reviewing like champions. Appreciate the feedback as always, guys!**

**And now the return of the Review Beg Joke, courtesy of Ren and Stimpy:**

_**Ren: What do you mean you won't review this story? Do you know who you're dealing with?**_

_***hits THE BUTTON, Antartica blows up***_

_**Ren: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**_

**So yeah, review or Ren will blow up your country.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth.**


	9. How Can You Fight What You Can't Hit?

Zidane, Dagger, and I left the inn and quickly walked over to the grain mill. Vivi was nowhere to be found, so Zidane and I searched for clues.

While we were searching, I saw a treasure chest over the stone wall hidden behind some brush. Now normally, when playing Final Fantasy IX, you would have to wait until a certain event much later in the game to get this particular chest. However, me being crafty and somewhat greedy, I leapt over the wall and took the contents of the chest, which was a massive pile of Gil. I quickly pocketed it whilst searching for clues as to Vivi's whereabouts. I also found some coffee beans in a bag underneath the treasure chest.

"That easy, huh?" I muttered as I pocketed the coffee beans, the bag labeled as "Burman Premium Coffee."

"Any luck, Cyrus?" Zidane asked from the other side of the wall.

"None," I muttered as I leapt over the wall, silently pleased with my findings. "There should be something that'll…wait, you hear something?"

Zidane looked confused…but eventually he and Dagger heard it too…the sound of someone crying.

"It's coming from that pipe," I pointed out as we all huddled around a small pipe sticking out of the earth next to the mill. Zidane knelt down and said into the pipe:

"Vivi?"

A familiar voice spoke from the other side of the pipe, "…Zidane?"

Recognizing Vivi's voice, Zidane replied, "Vivi! Where are you? Are you underground? Can you move?"

There was a pause before Vivi replied, "They…they told me to stay here…"

"Are you hurt, Vivi? Any injuries?" I asked.

"No…I'm not hurt," Vivi answered.

We all stood up as Zidane stated, "Don't worry, we'll get you out. We'll be right there, so stay where you are, all right?"

"Okay," Vivi said. Even though the little mage was trying to be brave, we could still hear him sniffling.

Zidane looked pissed. "What's going on in this village?"

"Calm down, Zidane," I said, almost to the point of ordering. "There's got to be a way underground. Let's look for a hatch or something."

Zidane took a deep breath before nodding.

"Let's hurry," Dagger chimed in as we all nodded in agreement.

I pointed to the grain mill. "The entrance is likely to be in there based on where this pipe is. Let's search in here first."

"Right!" Zidane replied as we walked into the grain mill. Now, I knew where the hatch was (again, due to having played the game in the past), but in my desire to keep my knowledge as hidden as possible, I went searching in the completely opposite direction. I headed for the far side of the mill itself, where a door leading to the pasture on the other side of the stone wall from earlier was located. I chuckled to myself, knowing I had completely "broken" the part of the game where I would have to unlock said door when something shiny caught my eye.

There, next to the mill itself, was a large coin partly buried under some spilled grain. I walked over and picked it up, as I noticed it had a single star engraved on its backside, and the Zodiac symbol for Aries engraved dead center on the front.

"Stellazio," I muttered as I pocketed the coin. It was at that moment that Zidane shouted, "Cyrus! Over here!"

I walked over to where Zidane and Dagger were standing. Sure enough, a large hatch was on the ground at our feet.

"Heh, heh…isn't this obvious?" Zidane said with a smirk as he and I worked together to get it opened. There was a slight breeze coming from the open shaft as we all climbed down the ladder into the underground.

We found ourselves deep beneath Dali in a rather well-constructed underground facility. Support beams held the tunnels up as we headed deeper into the underground area, searching for our lost friend.

We had walked for a couple of minutes before reaching what looked like a makeshift chocobo corral. Indeed, one of the large yellow avians was standing there next to another open area, which I recognized as being the town's well. There was a shack next to the chocobo's pen and a large barrel right next to where we were standing.

"This…isn't just a regular underground storage facility, is it?" Zidane mused.

"What was your first clue?" I retorted as I heard voices coming from the shack. "Quiet, there's someone here!"

The three of us got very quiet as we hid behind the massive barrel. As we listened, we could make out two different voices.

"Why is it moving?" an older man's voice asked. "Hey, didn't the mayor's brother find it?"

"I guess they reconciled. The mayor's brother is one of us now," a younger man's voice replied.

The older man seemed to be thinking over what the young man had just explained. "Wasn't he on the old lady's side before?"

"Oh, about abandoning the farm?" the younger man asked. "Pshh! He probably only said that because he was fighting with the mayor. Who cares, anyway? We need more workers. Let's put this thing in a box."

The older man seemed to agree. "Yeah, the guys at the castle will take care of it."

The mention of the castle seemed to peak Dagger's interest as a symbol on the barrel caught her eye. While she was examining it, the younger man continued to explain that they were only in charge of production, which the older man readily agreed with.

It was at that moment that the two men exited the hut. Standing between them in a single-file line was…

"Vivi!" Zidane muttered under his breath.

The younger man started to shove Vivi, prodding him to walk. Zidane, about to lose it, drew his daggers as Dagger whispered to him.

"Wait, Zidane!"

Zidane wasn't about to listen as he readied himself to pounce…that is, until I used Talon to pin him against the wall.

"Cool it, monkey," I said in a tone just below a growl.

"What is the matter with you?" Zidane hissed as Vivi walked off into the deeper sections of the underground facility with the two men.

"Zidane, please listen!" Dagger pleaded. "Did you see the seal on the barrel we were hiding behind? I've seen the exact same pattern on some of the barrels at the castle! This place must have some connection with Alexandria Castle, and I must know what it is! So please…I beg of you, don't cause trouble just yet."

"Listen to the royalty, Zidane," I added. "There's something strange going on down here…something that gives me the chills. If it's something particularly nasty…"

Zidane, still a bit angry about letting Vivi get away from him, nonetheless calmed down as I eased up on Talon.

"All right, fine. But I will start trouble if Vivi's in danger. Agreed?"

"Sure," Dagger said.

"Fine by me," I agreed as I sheathed Talon.

Zidane nodded. "All right, let's go then. They went further inside."

With that, our little trio headed further into the facility. We went past several rooms stacked with various boxes and crates. Past those were larger crates, big enough to hold a full-grown human…or something of similar size. Dagger, clearly troubled by what she was seeing, nevertheless kept following Zidane and me and we continued headed deeper still into the facility.

We eventually came across a large, relatively open room. The casket-like boxes lined the walls as a strange machine in the upper left corner of the room was churning out what appeared to be patchwork eggs onto an assembly line.

The machine immediately perked Zidane's interest as he quickly ran over to examine it. However, something called him back to one of the boxes along the wall…the sound of someone crying.

Zidane, cautiously, approached the box as he leaned in close to the lid. He whispered, "Vivi? Is that you?"

"Zidane!" the all-too familiar voice of the diminutive black mage shouted from inside the box.

"It is you! Hang on, we'll get you out!"

With that, I took Talon and used the blade to pry open the box. Vivi, scared and confused but otherwise unharmed, crawled out of the box as he panted heavily on his knees.

"How could they?" Dagger said with a gasp.

"What happened, Vivi?" Zidane asked.

Vivi, catching his breath, got back to his feet as he explained, "After you left, some men kidnapped me and brought me here. They told me to stay put. I was so scared…I didn't know what to do. One of them asked me, "Why were you outside?" And the other…he said something about the cargo ship not being here yet. I didn't know what they were talking about, so I didn't say anything. They then said, "Well, let's put it in with today's shipment."

"And they put you in that box?" Dagger asked.

Vivi nodded as Zidane sighed.

"Well, I'm glad you're safe, Vivi…but you gotta do something next time. You should try…screaming back or whatever."

"Screaming?"

Zidane nodded. "Yeah, like...'get the hell of me, you scumbag!' Just like that. It surprises your attacker and empowers you!"

I looked over to Dagger, who seemed to be listening very intently to what Zidane was saying. Zidane then got on one knee and spoke to Vivi at the same height.

"I need to ask you a favor, Vivi. We want to check out what's ahead. Now, I know you might not be too thrilled with the idea, but…"

Vivi shook his head. "Zidane, I wanna know more, too. Look, what is that thing?"

Vivi pointed at the machine as it produced another "egg." Zidane nodded once as we all stood up and sorted ourselves.

"Let's go together then!" Zidane said as we all nodded in agreement. We all started heading out of the room, following the conveyer belt when a door caught my attention.

"Cyrus, what's up?" Zidane asked as I walked to the door.

I pointed to the foot of the door, as a familiar smoke poured from the gap. "Zidane, this is Mist!"

"Mist?" Zidane repeated? "Are you sure?"

I nodded as I went to open the door. There, in the room beyond, pipes drew the Mist into them as they fed into the machine. Zidane, Dagger, and Vivi joined me in peering at the pipes as a shadow appeared in the Mist.

"Heads up!" Zidane shouted. "Mist monsters!"

We all drew our weapons in preparation for the inevitable attack. However, to our surprise, one lone figure emerged from the malevolent fog…a white ghost with a halo over its head. It looked very nervously at our little party as it spoke in a Droopy Dog-esque voice.

"Oh, my…humans. Please don't hurt me!"

I sighed as I sheathed my weapon. "Relax, we won't hurt you. Mu told me about you. You're Mr. Ghost, aren't you?"

The ghost nodded. "You've met Mu? Oh, that's great. Um…do you have any…?"

"Here," I said as I handed the ghost some ore stones.

"Oh, yay…" The ghost said in its depressed tone, not sounding particularly joyful. "I'm so happy…please be sure to share some with Ladybug when you meet her."

"Will do," I said as the ghost vanished. I turned to face my party members, all of them looking at me strangely.

"What?" I said before adding, "It's a long story. I'll tell you later. For now…"

Zidane's confused look turned into fright. "Cyrus! Behind you!"

Without missing a step, I unsheathed Talon and turned, using my momentum to slash the scythe blade quickly. My weapon found its victims…a pair of other ghosts, these blue in color and not nearly as friendly. However, with that one slash, I had struck them down and sent them to the afterlife.

"Thanks, Zidane," I said as I shouldered my scythe. "We'll need to watch out for more Mist monsters. Shall we then?"

Zidane nodded, finally getting back his focus as he led our little group deeper into the underground facility. Fortunately, we didn't come across any more of those ghosts or any other Mist monsters. However, the strange and advanced machinery we came across gave us all goosebumps, wondering what they were doing…save for me, of course, but I kept my mouth shut. Whatever was ahead was something they needed to see, of that I was certain.

We had walked past a massive chocobo-powered conveyer belt when a strange sound from a darkened room caught our attention. Zidane tried to peer through a window, but it was covered in grime and soot.

"What's going on in this room? It almost sounds like the eggs are…hatching…"

"Zidane, we must press on before we are caught," Dagger insisted.

Zidane sighed as he relented, leading our group further in. It wasn't a minute later that we found the end of the assembly line…and the product being produced in this facility…

"W-w-what is this?" Vivi stammered, completely in shock.

There, riding on hooks to what looked like a packaging section, were adult-sized black mages. They hung on the hooks lifeless as they steadily moved down the line. The sight of seeing those black mages, and knowing full well what they were about to be used for, almost made me want to start smashing the machines and stop the tragedies that were to come…

"_No, Cyrus…walk the path that must be taken, not just the path you want…" _I told myself as I remained still and silent.

Zidane, however, wasn't as quiet as he examined the black mages. "They're…some parts are different, but…"

"What…what is this? Are they…dolls?" Vivi stuttered, still unsure of what was going on.

Right then, I heard some voices behind me. "Zidane…we've got company!"

Zidane heard the voices too. "Vivi! Dagger!"

Dagger, as much in shock as Vivi was, looked dumbstruck. "Why? Is my mother behind this?"

"Oh, for the love of…" I said as I grabbed Vivi and headed for the hole where the black mages on the line were heading into. Zidane picked up Dagger and slung her over his shoulder and followed suit, something Dagger took exception to.

"Shh!" Zidane said as we hid ourselves in the packaging section. "Sorry, but this is the only way. Just stay quiet!"

We all clammed up as we heard voices talking outside. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but it seemed like they hadn't seen us. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, a piston hit me square in the back of my head, sending me into one of the coffin-shaped boxes. I could hear Zidane and the others saying something in concerned tones, but the box was shut and sealed and sent rolling down. The force of the blow left me woozy as I started drifting into unconsciousness…

I woke to find myself outside again, out of my coffin and looking up at Vivi and Dagger. My head still throbbed as I got to my feet. To my surprise, there was an airship on the ground to my left…a rickety old vessel utilizing two old-style propellers and a large white zeppelin for flight.

"Are you all right, Cyrus?" Dagger asked me in a concerned tone.

I rubbed my head as I answered, "Yeah…damn piston. How'd I get out?"

"We all got stuffed into boxes too," Vivi said. "Then, the villagers put our boxes in that large barrel and brought us outside. Zidane managed to get the barrel to tip over and allow us to get out, but…"

As Vivi started to trail off, I turned and saw the tipped-over barrel…and a very angry Steiner jumping up and down, his armor clanking as he shook his fists at Zidane. Judging by the wreckage, it seemed as if the barrel landed right on Steiner…the thought of which made me chuckle.

"What is going on here! Why were you in that barrel? Is this your doing, scoundrel?"

"Steiner, please!" Dagger insisted, hands on her hips. Steiner looked crestfallen and muttered "Yes, your Highness" as Dagger turned to Zidane. "Zidane, I don't know what to say to Vivi. I never knew anything like this was happening at the castle."

"We still don't know for sure," Zidane replied. "Let's just stay at Vivi's side."

Dagger nodded in agreement as she patted the little black mage on the shoulder comfortingly. For my part, I turned and said, "Hey Steiner…any idea where this airship is heading?"

My question seemed to spook Steiner. "Um…Lindblum…yes, it's heading for Lindblum."

Zidane seemed to perk up. "That's convenient! Did you ask someone?"

"The…old man at the shack told me! So therefore it must be true!" Steiner said in an obviously nervous tone.

"You're acting strange…" Zidane muttered.

Steiner looked like he was on the defensive as he noticed something off in the distance. "Something is coming this way!"

Not a second later, a flash of green and brown flew past us, teleporting in front of, behind, to the left and right of us. It finally stopped in front of us, flying on blue wings. The creature looked like a black mage, only its eyes were a dark shade of red and it was larger than any of the black mages being produced in Dali…

"A Black Waltz!" I muttered under my breath as I drew Talon. The rest of them were too shocked to move as the Waltz spoke.

"Princess Garnet! The queen is waiting for you at the castle!"

"What?" Zidane finally said as he drew his daggers. "You were all sent by the castle?"

Steiner turned to Zidane, his rage replaced with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Zidane and I fought one of these things in the Ice Cavern after you all passed out from the blizzard." I explained as I shouldered my scythe. "He called himself a Black Waltz!"

"So, it was you who defeated No. 1?" the Waltz said as he pointed a finger at me. "I'm Black Waltz No. 2! My power, magic, and speed make me far superior to No. 1! Resistance is futile! Come now, Princess…the queen awaits."

"No!" Dagger said defiantly as she readied her magical rod. "I will not return to the castle!"

"I don't think I'm making myself very clear, Princess…" the Waltz said in a menacing tone. "You will return with me, or you will live to regret it!"

The threat to Dagger seemed to get Steiner's full attention. "You will do no such thing, fiend! I, Steiner, shall escort the Princess back to the castle!"

The Black Waltz cackled at such a notion. "You think I care? I won't let any of you stand in the way of my mission!"

"Then I guess talking is pointless…" I said as I reached into my coat. "If you think you're tough enough, then come on and bring it."

"Very well!" the Waltz shouted as he gathered magical energy into his hands. "I'll kill you all myself! Princess, stay out of the way while I kill these fools unless you wish to be harmed."

Dagger shook her head as she stood side-by-side with us. All five of us stood firm against the Waltz, who sighed.

"Have it your way, Princess. My orders were to bring you back alive…but there was no mention of what condition I had to bring you back in! Prepare to die, heroes!"

_**(Play Legend of Dragoon: Boss Battle Theme #1)**_

Steiner, enraged with the Waltz's threats to Dagger, had Vivi cast Fire on his broadsword and rushed the Black Waltz. Steiner slashed and cleaved, but the Waltz was too fast and avoided every last one of Steiner's attacks. Zidane, as Steiner was engaging the Waltz head-on, tried to sneak around and land a surprise attack from behind. However, as Zidane leapt at the winged mage, the Black Waltz vanished into thin air. As Zidane and Steiner searched for the Waltz, they were both struck with lightning-quick blows by the Black Waltz, knocking both down.

"Kweh, heh, heh! Fools! You can't touch me! I'm far too fast!" the Waltz taunted as he pointed his palm at Zidane. "How about a Fire spell, hero?"

"Blizzard!" Vivi shouted as he cast the ice spell, freezing the Waltz's hand and preventing it from casting the spell. The Waltz glared at Vivi as the residual heat from its Fire spell freed his hand.

"You call that an ice spell?" the Black Waltz bellowed as he raised both of his hands up above his head, icy energy forming at the tips of his fingers. "This is how you use ice magic, whelp! Blizzara!"

The ice magic coalesced into several large icicles above the Black Waltz as he crossed his arms in front of him, pointing his palms at us and sending the Blizzara at us. Instincts kicking in, I rushed out in front and used Talon to knock down the majority of the ice spears, sparing Vivi, Dagger, and myself from being skewered.

"Try this…Arcana Number One: Exile's Edge!" I shouted as my scythe blade became infused with icy energies. I rushed the flying mage and went for a slash…but again, the Waltz vanished and reappeared behind me. He cast a point blank Thunder spell on my back, sending me falling hard onto the ground below. Both Steiner and Zidane, however, recovered and got back to their feet, as they resumed their onslaught.

Still, no matter how quickly Zidane slashed or how fiercely Steiner attempted to strike, the Black Waltz proved too quick as he used what had to be teleportation magic to avoid every attack. And poor Vivi, too scared to cast any spells for fear of a counter spell, could do nothing as he and Dagger stood by, watching as the Waltz toyed with the thief and the knight.

"Enough!" The Waltz bellowed after he had knocked Zidane and Steiner back a couple feet in front of Dagger. Vivi ran up to check on the two of them as the Waltz started focusing his energies.

"I'm through toying with you insects. I won't let you stand in the way of my mission any longer! Fira!"

The Waltz cast the mid-level fire spell, as a twisting inferno surrounded Vivi, Steiner, and Zidane. The three of them survived, but the flames did their damage as the three of them were on their knees in obvious pain. Dagger, seeing her friends in pain, immediately started casting Cure. However…

"Not so fast!" The Waltz snarled as he held his hand up and cast Silence on Dagger, preventing the princess from casting her spell. Cackling, the Waltz slowly floated over to Dagger.

"That's better. Now behave yourself…"

"So I guess that means I can be as much of a pain in the ass as I please then?" I shouted as I got back to my feet. I grabbed the items I was searching for in my coat as the Black Waltz turned to face me.

"Save your bravado, human! I've won. There's not a single one of you that can even scratch me!"

I shook my head. "Not yet, anyway…Mix! Spider's Web, Monster Pollen! Elemental Water!"

The harvested items I had collected vanished from my left hand as the energy started to coalesce into my right. The Black Waltz, sensing that I was up to something, immediately teleported over towards me in an attempt to strike me down once and for all with one of his powerful strikes…unbeknownst to the sinister mage, however, it had fallen for my trap.

"Malady Cocktail!"

Just as the Waltz had materialized in front of me, I slammed the sphere of blue energy into the Waltz's black haze-like face. The energy turned into a viscous fluid that splashed and covered the Black Waltz's entire body. The mage started to flap around violently like a caged bird as his movements started to slow to a lethargic pace.

"I…I can't see! My glorious speed…what did you do to me?"

I picked up Talon from the ground at my feet and shouldered the weapon. "Just gave you a couple new status conditions. Don't worry, though…I won't let you suffer any more.

That statement got the Waltz all frightened. "No…please! Don't! Spare me, I beg you!"

I ignored his pleas for mercy as I quickly struck the Black Waltz with a brutal slash, almost cleaving the winged demon in two. The last thing it muttered before breathing his last was "No…why?" Once it had passed on, Black Waltz No. 2's lifeless body was consumed by a magical fire, reducing it to ashes. With the unpleasant deed done, I sheathed Talon and headed over to Dagger.

_**(End Music)**_

Dagger, still muted, looked at me with wide eyes as I used an echo screen vial on her.

"You okay?" I asked as she started casting her white magic on our injured comrades, who had passed out from the pain. Dagger nodded, but said nothing as she continued casting her curative spells. Soon enough, Zidane, Steiner, and Vivi were back to their feet.

"Ow…that Fira hurt like hell…" Zidane muttered as he scanned the area. "Where's the Black Waltz?"

"He's been dealt with," I simply stated. While I love the thrill of a good fight, I don't care much for killing even if it's necessary. So when I spoke, there was no pride or joy in my tone…it was just another fight and another obstacle broken through.

Still, I couldn't help but feel a bit remorseful for ending the Black Waltz's life. I thought that I wouldn't feel anything, knowing that this was all just a game. Then again, whether it was a game or not didn't diminish the real danger I was in, and when there's danger there's also consequence…

"…About the border crossing…"

I immediately snapped back to the present, as in my deep thinking I had completely ignored another argument between Steiner and Zidane.

"Yeah…so why don't we hitch a ride on the airship?" Zidane suggested, much to Steiner's surprise (one would say pleasant surprise).

Dagger readily agreed. "Sure! Lindblum shouldn't be terribly far by airship…excuse me, 'won't be too far.'"

Zidane nodded. "Wait here while I ask the people inside if we can catch a ride."

As Zidane tried to walk off, Steiner quickly stepped in front of him. "No! Um…I-I will go ask them?"

Zidane tilted his head quizzically. "Oh? How come?"

Steiner, his face beet red, shook his fist at Zidane fiercely. "It…it is not for your benefit! I am only doing this for the princess!"

With that, Steiner ran off in a huff. Dagger, a bit unsettled by Steiner's demeanor, started to think out loud.

"Steiner. He was so adamant about returning to the castle. And this airship…full of barrels like the ones I saw at the castle...Zidane, is this ship really heading for Lindblum?"

Zidane shook his head. "No. It'll probably take us straight to Alexandria Castle."

Dagger was noticeably confused. "But why? Weren't you the one who said we should get on the ship?"

Zidane nodded and smirked. "Yeah, I know! Trust me."

"Um…Zidane?" Vivi spoke up, his voice shaking. We all looked at our young mage friend as he asked, "Those dolls they were making underground…did you think they look like…me?"

Zidane and Dagger, obviously uncomfortable with the question, looked at one another trying to grasp for an answer. I, however, didn't have that problem.

"Look, Vivi…I know it was a bit shocking seeing those…dolls…down there. And yeah, they do kind of resemble you a bit. But don't let it bother you. You are you, and that's all that matters. Okay?"

Vivi was still unsure, but he nodded in agreement. Just then, the propellers on the airship started to rotate as we heard the engines rumble.

"It's preparing to take off!" I shouted as I led Vivi to a ladder in the aft section of the cargo ship. As Vivi started climbing up, I could hear Dagger and Zidane arguing for a bit before running over to the ladder. I was climbing up as Zidane was trying to convince Dagger to follow suit.

"Hurry up! You have nothing to worry about!"

"But…" Dagger started to say as Zidane cut her off.

"I'll get you to Lindblum, I promise!" Zidane reassured Dagger as he puffed his own chest. I sighed at his attempts to be macho in a time like this as Dagger finally agreed to get on. She started climbing the ladder with Zidane following quickly behind her…a little too quickly, in fact.

"Aah!" Dagger screamed as Zidane, instead of grabbing another ladder rung, grabbed Dagger's ass.

"Oooh…soft…" Zidane said dreamily as Dagger lightly yet forcefully kicked him the head. Zidane managed to hang on as the cargo ship started to take flight. I helped Dagger onto the deck as Zidane hung onto the ladder. Despite being what even I could tell was an antique of a vessel, the cargo ship still roared to life as it ascended the skies…

…and carried us to our next obstacle.

_**New Mix Attacks:**_

_**Malady Cocktail: Casts status ailments on your opponents depending on what items you used in the alchemy.**_

**Author's Notes:**

**Figured I'd get this out as a Christmas gift to all of my wonderful reviewers and readers, both new and old. I hope that, whatever holidays you are celebrating are full of joy and good cheer.**

**And if they're not, it's not my fault. Just saying.**

**Thanks goes out to The Duelist of Dawn, NobodiesHiiro, FF and STH, Ranchdressing, ExtremeuGamer, butcherthegirl, Shikyo no Kyoufu, and Volanaro for the reviews.**

**Hmm, I can't shake the feeling that there's something amiss. What can it…**

_***There's a knocking on Cyrus's door***_

_**Truth: Oh, right…it's that time of year again. Oh well…**_

_***Truth goes into hiding as a familiar figure busts down the door***_

_**Santa Claus: HO HO HO! Come out, Cyrus! You've been a very naughty boy this year and all the other years you've managed to escape my plots to kill you! So now it's time for your gift this year!**_

_***Santa produces a pair of machetes***_

_**Santa: Most people celebrate me by trimming their trees. I celebrate the season by trimming YOU!**_

_**Truth: Oh, shut up, Kringle…**_

_***Truth hits a button on the wall, which drops a capsule on Santa. A bright light emanates from the capsule as Santa screams bloody murder. After a minute, the light subsides as the capsule is raised, revealing Santa dressed in a cosplay outfit of Vincent Valentine.***_

_**Santa: What is this? You went through all that trouble just to play dress-up?**_

_**Truth: No…I went through that trouble for this…**_

_***Truth remotely opens his window blinds, revealing a mob of Vincent Valentine fangirls. They all see Santa and start to squee.***_

_**Fangirl 1: It's VINCENT!**_

_**Fangirl 2: OMG! Vincent! I love you!**_

_**Fangirl 3: I must touch you Vincent, you brooding heartthrob!**_

_**Fangirl 4: I'm going to write a yaoi fanfic…with Vincent and Cloud and Sephiroth…it'll be an angsty orgy of men!**_

_**Santa: No…I'm not Vincent…don't GLOMP ME! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**_

_***The fangirls break down the window and rush in, forcing Santa to flee. However, the fangirls are too fast for him as he's caught by a rather fierce-looking one. When they rip off his clothes and realize that he's a fat slob and not the hard-bodied biological freak they were expecting, they proceed to kick his ass so badly that I'm not allowed by ethics and standards to repost it.***_

**Fangirls…some take their fandom WAY too seriously. And some must be blind…after all, who can mistake fat ass Santa for Vincent? Hell, I barely understand the appeal…but then again, I don't get "Twilight" either.**

…**if I offended any fangirls, please don't kill me.**

**Happy holidays! And Review!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

"**The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	10. Tragedy and Stormy Rage

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" I asked Zidane after we had all gotten a solid footing on the cargo ship's rear outlook.

Zidane shot me a defensive look. "Hey, don't give me that! It's not like I did that on purpose!"

Dagger, who was still a bit miffed about Zidane copping a feel, stood and stared at Zidane with her hands on her hips. "Please, enough."

Zidane turned his attention to Dagger. "There's that royal tone in your voice again. Look, I'm sorry…"

"Vivi, you all right?" I interjected as the black mage seemed to be a bit woozy. He was holding onto the railing for dear life as he simply stared out into the sky.

"Ugh…feels like I'm going to be sucked in…"

Dagger, immediately flipping the proverbial switch from anger to concern, put her hand on Vivi's shoulder and attempted to console him. "Come on, Vivi. Let's go inside."

Vivi weakly nodded as he and Dagger headed for the door, leading inside the ship. As Vivi shuffled in, Dagger turned and faced Zidane, a rather stony look on her face.

"I trust you, Zidane."

With that, she turned and closed the door in the thief's face, leaving Zidane and I alone out on the balcony.

"Yeah, I get the feeling she doesn't quite trust me yet," Zidane mused out loud as he leaned against the banister.

"Really? What was your first clue, monkey-boy?" I retorted with a smirk. "The part where you grabbed her ass 'accidentally,' or the part where you tried to weasel out of owning up to it?"

"Hey, it's not like you were helping me out, Cyrus!" Zidane shot back. He then smirked, "And be honest, you're just jealous."

I shook my head. "Please. Keep your lecherous thoughts to yourself. Besides, I'm a man. I don't fool around with little girls."

"Say what you want…besides, it's not like you're that much older than me," Zidane teased as he got a daydream-like look on his face. "Hmm, maybe she'll reward me with a kiss or two if I try hard enough."

"Keep dreaming..." I said with a snicker. It was at that moment that the door flung open. Dagger came rushing out, and Zidane immediately perked up, again thinking with the brain that's not in his head.

Those thoughts were immediately dashed when Dagger frantically spoke. "Zidane! It's Vivi!"

"Vivi?" Zidane asked, obviously confused. "What's wrong?"

Dagger simply motioned for us to follow her inside, which we did. After entering the hull of the cargo ship, we all saw what was wrong.

Dozens of black mage dolls, now fully active, were walking around. They were tending to the airship, calibrating various devices and adjusting ship components to keep the airship flying true. Vivi, a bit frantic, was running from black mage to black mage, trying to get them to respond. However, the mages paid him no mind as they went about their duties like mindless automatons.

"Wow…they're alive! And moving around!" Zidane exclaimed.

"Efficient…" I said. "The ones made in the village run the airship and bring the new ones produced to the castle. It's clever…a crew like this, you don't have to worry about secrets being leaked."

"Poor Vivi…" Dagger muttered as Vivi started to walk back towards us, his head hung low in disappointment.

"Were you able to talk to them?" Zidane asked the dejected mage.

Vivi shook his head as he stared at the floor. "No…it's like…like they don't even see me at all. I tried…again and again…but they won't even turn around."

"Vivi," Zidane said, trying to console the young mage. Vivi, however, refused to look at anyone as the thief turned to Dagger.

"I need to go upstairs for a bit. I've gotta turn the ship around before it reaches the castle. Cyrus, you mind coming with me? I may need your help."

I nodded as I walked past Zidane and Dagger, pausing only to pat Vivi on the shoulder before heading for the hatch leading to the deck. Zidane asked Dagger to watch after Vivi before running to catch up to me.

Zidane and I passed by several black mages as we found the ladder leading up. Zidane climbed up first as I followed behind.

After several seconds of climbing, we both made it to the deck, where we were reintroduced to a familiar figure in crappy armor…

"How could I let this happen?" Steiner bellowed. He was on his knees, sobbing. "What am I to do? I never expected things to go so badly. How could the ship take off without the princess? What am I to say to Queen Brahne?"

"You could tell her that you're a walking, talking suit of armor encasing a pile of stupidity," I suggested mockingly.

Steiner, obviously shocked, stood up in a huff as he faced Zidane and me. "Why you! How dare you…wait, what are you doing here?"

"Hitching a ride, what else?" Zidane explained. "What the heck were you doing, anyway? You almost took off without us!"

"That's because the ship's crew wouldn't…wait, I need not explain myself to you lowlifes!" Steiner growled. "Where's the princess?"

"In the engine room, below deck," Zidane said with a shrug.

Almost immediately, Steiner's rage was replaced with smug contentment. "She's on the ship? All is well then…the ship is returning to the castle. You two will be hanged for the kidnapping of a royal family member! So enjoy your freedom while you can."

I shrugged, nonchalantly. "Fine, whatever. Zidane, if you don't mind, I'll spend my last minutes alive meditating. If you need someone to talk to in order to come to grips with your pending execution, come talk to me."

"Appreciate that, Cyrus." Zidane said with a smirk as he simply waved at Steiner and headed for the cockpit. Steiner, thinking nothing of it, simply stood by the hatch leading to the engine room as I took a seat on the deck, cross-legged with Talon lying on my lap. I then closed my eyes and began to recite an old Exile's mantra:

"_There is nothing save for the Road in front of you,_

_Nothing but the sound of footsteps along the path._

_With every step, the wanderer becomes that much stronger,_

_With every obstacle overcome, the wanderer becomes that much wiser._

_Every journey, every step, every life touched along the way,_

_Brings the wanderer that much closer to one's reward…"_

"What is that drivel?" Steiner demanded, still standing guard over the hatch.

I didn't open my eyes as I explained, "It's called 'The Spirit of the Wanderer,' and it's something you couldn't understand. You're tied to your duty, giving little thought to the steps you take to get to where you're going. All that matters in that pea-brain of yours is doing the will of others, specifically that queen of yours. What kind of life is that…to blindly follow orders and not seek the Truth?"

That got Steiner riled up. "How dare you! What could you, a miserable vagabond, know of the rigors of duty and fealty?"

"Having sworn fealty, must you live your life in servitude?" I mused out loud, as Steiner stopped for a second to ponder what I had just said. "Duty is all well and good, but blind loyalty is simply moronic. But then again, why should you care? You got what you wanted, right?"

Steiner immediately switched his attitude. "That's right! I am finally returning the princess to the castle. Queen Brahne will be pleased for certain!"

"Probably," I said, eyes still closed. "But then again, she probably wouldn't be so pleased if Zidane hadn't gotten the princess onto the airship before it took off. And yet, you're going to have him executed. Way to thank the guy for saving your bacon."

Steiner, realizing that I was right, immediately grumbled to himself for a minute. "You speak the truth…I know! I shall petition for a life sentence on his behalf! Yes, that would be the honorable thing to do!"

"Oh joy," I said sarcastically. "Life in a smelly dungeon…that's definitely a much better fate than death. Your charity knows no bounds, Steiner."

"Silence, you!" Steiner roared, shaking his fist at me (as near as I could tell from the clanking of armor, as my eyes remained shut). "Your acerbic verbal barbs will come to an end soon enough. When we get back to the castle, I will personally see to it that you…"

Steiner's latest rant was cut off by the roaring of the cargo ship's antique engines. The propellers on either side of the airship's zeppelin began to spin fiercely, as the airship slowly started to turn. I opened my eyes to see the airship make a banking right turn around Morrid's observatory mountain. The airship made the complete turn, much to Steiner's shock and anger.

"W-w-what is happening? This is not the way to the castle!"

I smiled as I remained sitting. "Well, not to Alexandria Castle, that's for certain. Perhaps you should check with the captain of this fine vessel."

Steiner, realizing that Zidane was heading for the cockpit earlier, ran off in a rage. I snickered as I stood up, just as Dagger and Vivi were coming up from the engine room.

"Where's Zidane?" Dagger asked.

"He just turned the ship around," I explained. "We're now on a course for South Gate. We should be in Lindblum pretty soon."

Dagger nodded. "That's good. Vivi and I needed a bit of fresh air, so we decided to climb up and see what was going on."

"Understandable," I replied as I turned to Vivi. Before I could say anything, the hatch opened again. The black mage crewmen from the engine room climbed out and headed for the cockpit, much to our astonishment. They said nothing as they surrounded the control room, as I saw something out of the corner of my eye…much like a black haze flitting through the clouds…

"_Son of a bitch…" _I said to myself as I jumped to my feet and readied myself, dropping into a defensive stance.

"Cyrus, what's wrong?" Dagger asked as she and Vivi turned and saw what I had seen. Slowly descending onto the bow of the airship was a tall, imposing figure wearing a long dark blue tunic. He bore a pair of dark wings on his back and wore a patch-worked steepled hat. The demonic looking humanoid carried a staff topped with a gold figure resembling the sun at daybreak. This new opponent glared at us with red, glowing eyes behind his black-haze face. The figure said nothing as he raised his left hand and shot several bolts of electricity at the three of us.

"No…no!" Vivi shouted, obviously terrified as he fell on his back.

"Vivi!" Dagger shouted as she helped Vivi up. "Are you okay?"

The demon started to cackle. "How pathetic…No. 2 was defeated by a small child? Well, whelp, I am Black Waltz No. 3, and you are no match for my power! Princess, stand aside while I eliminate this child!"

I immediately sprang up and interposed myself between Vivi and the Waltz. "You want Vivi, you're going through me first. That is, if you got the stones to face me."

"Kwahahaha!" The Waltz cackled. "You're brave for one so weak! You and your motley crew may have defeated No. 1 and No. 2, but their magic combined doesn't compare to mine! If you wish to sacrifice yourself for that defective runt, then by all means go ahead and do so!"

I motioned for Dagger to get Vivi out of there, but before she could, the black mages from earlier walked up and surrounded us, glancing at Vivi for barely a second before turning to face the Black Waltz. They all raised their arms in what looked like a spell-casting motion.

The Black Waltz looked slightly amused and insulted. "What is this? Are you actually protecting him? This is nonsense…you're no different from mindless dolls! What can you do?

A pair of the black mages conjured up fireballs in their hands as Dagger and I took Vivi to safety towards the cockpit. I could hear the Waltz shouting at the black mages.

"Get out of my way, cretins! You dare fight a Black Waltz…the strongest of the Black Waltzes? GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

With that, the black mages unleashed their Fire spells, but they were all overpowered by the Black Waltz's powerful Thundara spell. The force of the Waltz's lightning magic tore through the mob, sending several of the mages overboard. Zidane, Steiner, Dagger, Vivi, and I watched from the cockpit as the Black Waltz continued unleashing its electrical onslaught, as the black mages tried fighting back to no avail. A few strains of lightning magic struck the barrels tethered to the side of the airship, releasing them as dozens of inactive black mages poured out, littering the skies as they plummeted towards the Mist below. The Black Waltz continued his assault until the only remaining sign of the black mages was a single steepled hat, stuck to a sharp pike on the ship's right side. Vivi, obviously in complete shock over what had occurred, was oblivious to Dagger's attempts to console him as we all watched the Black Waltz hover down onto the bow again, arms crossed and looking pleased with the carnage he had wrought.

As for me, watching the black mage massacre had an unexpected effect on me…it made me angry, enraged beyond words. Seeing the sight in person was something completely different from seeing it as a FMV on my television screen. It was raw, it was real…and it left me wanting revenge…

"What…what cruelty!" Steiner muttered, contempt barely hidden in his voice.

It was at that moment that we were all taken aback by a primal scream coming from the most unlikely person: Vivi. The black mage continued to shout out the pain he was feeling as he ran out of the cockpit and towards the Black Waltz, staff ready for combat.

"Master Vivi!" Steiner shouted as he unsheathed his sword and ran out. "I shall assist you!"

"Same here!" I growled as I gripped Talon. "Save some of that winged bastard for me!"

I ran after Steiner and Vivi as Zidane spoke to Dagger in the cockpit. Steiner and I backed Vivi up as he stood up against the Black Waltz. Vivi's voice was cracking, as painful sorrow and boiling anger was evident in his tone.

"Why…why would you do such a thing? Weren't they your friends?"

The Black Waltz laughed mockingly. "'Weren't they your friends?' Fool…do I look like a lowly black mage soldier?"

"Even if they weren't your allies, what you did was reprehensible!" Steiner bellowed, holding his sword, ready to strike.

"Kwahahaha! Worry not about them, you lowlifes!" the Waltz said with a snide tone. "Many more are being produced as we speak!"

"And you think that justifies what you did?" I asked angrily, my grip on Talon tightening. "You sick monster…I'm going to enjoy carving your penance out of your hide!"

"You can try…you'll fail just like those pathetic golems, but you're still welcome to try!"

"What are you?" the familiar voice of Zidane shouted as the tailed thief ran up to join us, daggers drawn and ready to strike.

The Black Waltz chuckled sinisterly. "Ah, good. The princess's bodyguards have all gathered. How very convenient!"

"Answer me!" Zidane demanded.

"Please, it wouldn't do any good if I answered, since you're all going to die! I will eliminate any who stand in my way! Prepare for the afterlife, fools!"

The Black Waltz immediately shot a powerful Thundara spell at us, too fast for any of us to dodge…however, it was intercepted with a Fire spell, resulting in an explosion between us and the Waltz. We all turned to see Vivi, holding his still-smoking staff and trembling.

"You bully…you monster! I'm not going to let you hurt anybody ever again! I'M GOING TO STOP YOU!"

It was then that Vivi started to glow in a now-familiar fuschia colored light. In a flash, Vivi transformed. His worn, patchwork coat was replaced with a very ornate coat adorned in various symbols and markings. His dilapidated pointy hat now stood upright, almost as if to signify his increased magical power. Vivi stood firm, as we all nodded in acknowledgment of his newly-found Trance state as we all turned back to the Black Waltz.

"You little brat! Even with this newfound power, you're still no match for me!" The Waltz screeched in a slightly more unhinged tone. "PREPARE TO DIE, SCUM!"

_**(Play Gattai Nante Kuso Kurae from the Gurren Lagann OST)**_

Vivi wasted no time in using his new power. Almost simultaneously, Vivi cast two Fire spells and sent them rocketing at the Black Waltz with incredible speed. The Waltz couldn't dodge them, but it managed to use its lightning magic to create a barrier between it and Vivi's attack. As the magic collided and detonated, Steiner and I rushed the Black Waltz, striking the Waltz with our blades. The Waltz shrugged the attack off as he retaliated with a staff strike to me, forcing me to go on the defensive. Steiner again went for another attack, only to get knocked back by another one of Black Waltz No. 3's vicious Thundara spells.

As Steiner was sent flying back, I continued to fight the Black Waltz for leverage as he and I struggled to break the deadlock we were in, his staff against my scythe. Zidane took this opportunity to rush in with his daggers, looking to score another strike. However, the Waltz suddenly and unexpectedly got a surge of power as he forced me back and launched another barrage of Thunder magic at us. Both Zidane and I tried to block it with our weapons, but we still felt the shock course through our weapons into our bodies.

The Waltz, now fully enraged, flapped his wings and began to hover in place. He pointed his staff at us and screamed, "I will eliminate all opposition! Lightning Sphere!"

Lightning magic coalesced into a sphere at the tip of the mage's staff as he sent it rocketing towards Zidane and myself. Unable to defend ourselves properly, we were thankfully saved by Vivi, who double-casted a pair of Blizzard spells to intercept the Waltz's newest trick. The magic exploded above us as both Zidane and I got back to our feet, joined by Steiner.

"Guys, we're not going to overpower this thing," I muttered to Zidane and Steiner as I downed a potion. "Vivi's magic's the only thing that's going to take it down. So we need to do our part…understand?"

Steiner and Zidane nodded as I grabbed Talon tighter and took a deep breath. In a flash, I rushed the Black Waltz, who cackled as he sent a Thundara at me. This time, I was able to focus enough to sidestep the attack as I lunged at the Waltz, looking to rend the mage asunder. However, the Waltz again blocked my attack with his staff, as he continued flying above me and sneering.

"Pathetic human! You're wasting your time! I was created for destruction! How can you overcome that power?" the Waltz taunted me as we struggled for position.

"Well, that's another story for another time," I muttered…before smirking. "Thankfully, I don't have to overcome you…I just need to distract you."

"What?" the Waltz shouted in confusion, just as he let out a scream of agony as Zidane's daggers and Steiner's broadsword found their marks as they cut into the Black Waltz's wings. The Waltz dropped onto the deck as I backed up and drove my scythe into its chest. The Waltz, still standing, was howling in pain as I shouted to Vivi, "Now! Hit it!"

Vivi nodded as he pointed his staff at the Black Waltz. "Double Thunder!"

The pair of Thunder spells shot through the air as Zidane, Steiner, and I got out of the way. The lightning magic struck Talon as my weapon acted like a lightning rod, feeding the magic into the Black Waltz's black heart. The Waltz's residual energies collided with Vivi's magic, resulting in a massive explosion of electrical magic, sending my scythe flying off into the sky and the Waltz crashing into the front of the cargo ship, hard. Vivi's Trance wore off as our whole party huddled together, watching the Black Waltz twitch and seize on the deck of the ship.

_**(End Music)**_

After a few seconds, the Black Waltz stopped moving, leaving us to think he had finally breathed his last. However, just as we were starting to relax, the Black Waltz's body again surged with electricity, albeit much more erratic and uncontrolled. The Waltz, body broken and mangled, got back to its feet as he started twitching. He pointed his shattered arm at us and snarled.

"You…you s-s-scum! I exist...I exist...I exist only to KILL!"

With that, the Black Waltz flew off, allowing us to finally take a breath of relief.

"Blasted demons! Just how many of these Black Waltzes must we fight? This is becoming ridiculous!" Steiner roared as he shook his fist at the fleeing Waltz.

"I think that's the last one," Zidane piped up as Vivi shuffled silently over towards the still-smoking steepled hat stuck on the right side of the airship.

Steiner, immediately confused, turned to confront Zidane, "How do you know? Are you…"

"Think about it, Steiner," I chimed in as I walked over to Vivi. "A waltz is a dance performed in triple time. It makes sense that there'd be three Black Waltzes."

"Oh…" Steiner said as he tried to wrap his brain around that. Zidane simply shook his head as he headed back to the cockpit to check on Dagger. I looked out over the bow of the ship to see South Gate, signaling that we were indeed heading for Lindblum. I looked down to see Vivi just staring at the steepled hat, not crying or saying a word.

Knowing the shock that Vivi was experiencing, I didn't say anything, just standing there with my hand on his shoulder. As I stood there, I thought about what had just transpired. Just as Gihen had mentioned, the Black Waltz had a new trick in his arsenal with that Lightning Sphere. I wasn't particularly happy with it, but seeing as I couldn't do a damn thing about it, all I could do was be more careful with enemies in the future.

It was then, out in the distance, I heard something…something resembling an engine, one that was smaller yet faster than the one on the cargo ship. Immediately, I turned to Steiner.

"The Waltz is coming back!"

"Say what? How is that possible?" Steiner said as he broke out of his mental quandary.

"He's got an airship. A small one, faster than this cargo ship. You've got to let Zidane and the princess know. I'll get Vivi out of harm's way."

Steiner didn't even question me as he ran, screaming "PRINCESS!" Meanwhile, I nudged Vivi and whispered, "Come on, kid. Let's find somewhere safe to bunker down."

Vivi didn't say a word as he kept staring at the steepled hat. I was contemplating just grabbing him and running when the cargo ship's engine roared to life as we began to pick up speed. Still, it wasn't hardly enough as the Black Waltz, now fully insane, roared past us on his one-man airship, creating a wind wake that knocked the steepled hat off of the side of the cargo ship. Vivi gasped as the hat fell into the Mist below.

I instinctively reached for Talon, only to realize that I had lost it in the battle against the Black Waltz. Silently cursing, I instead reached into my coat pocket as the Black Waltz pulled alongside us.

"I EXIST ONLY TO KILL!" the Waltz screamed as it unleashed an overpowered Thundara spell at us. Vivi, almost as if on instinct, cast a Fire spell in retaliation. To my surprise, the weaker Fire spell proved to be stronger as it powered through the Waltz's Thundara and struck his airship, forcing the Waltz to regain control. Vivi, however, fainted from exhaustion as I grabbed a hold of him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zidane running out of the cockpit to help.

Before the thief could reach us, the Black Waltz returned for another round just as we were beginning to enter South Gate. The Black Waltz came up to our left side as I pulled out a pair of items from my coat.

"Mix! Mu Stones, Elemental Wind! Stone Hurricane!"

Thankfully, the alchemy combination worked as a gust of wind blew from my right hand, unleashing a barrage of bullet-sized rocks at incredible speed. The Stone Hurricane pelted the Waltz's airship, again destabilizing the vessel and forcing the Black Waltz to drop back. Zidane joined Vivi and myself on the deck just as we were entering South Gate.

Dagger, our airship captain, got too close to the closing doors of South Gate, rattling the ship and almost sending Vivi overboard. Zidane grabbed the young mage before he fell and held onto him as I grabbed a railing and held on for dear life.

We saw the exit doors closing ever so much as the Black Waltz continued launching electrical attacks at us. I tried to counter by using the last of my bomb fragments for a trio of Blaze Cannons, but the Waltz's flying was as unpredictable as the deranged demon himself. The Waltz again charged up for another barrage of lightning, looking to end us all in one strike…

…when one of the electrical tendrils instead went behind him, striking his own engine! The Waltz had a look of genuine shock as his airship exploded and we squeaked out of South Gate, just as the doors closed and the Black Waltz's ship blew apart in a massive fireball on the doors, causing massive collateral damage.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I pulled Vivi and Zidane back on board the ship. Zidane looked at the carnage wrought by our little sky battle as he exhaled.

"Whew…that was too close. But Dagger got us through it."

"Yeah," I said as I picked up Vivi. He was beginning to stir awake as Zidane and I headed back for the cockpit. Both Dagger and Steiner were both rather silent as I set Vivi down, now fully awake. I, for my part, didn't say anything…however, Zidane decided to embark in his usual quest to lighten up the mood.

"Wow…guess we pushed this old engine too hard," Zidane said with a chuckle. When no one answered him, he looked at all of us with a smile. "Why so damn silent, people? We made it! Come on, cheer up!"

Dagger finally spoke up in a somber tone. "South Gate was badly damaged. It was my fault, wasn't it?"

"Hey, don't worry about it! They'll have it fixed in no time!" Zidane said reassuringly.

Steiner broke his silence in his usual manner…very loudly. "You idiot! The cargo ship was wrecked, we lost all the cargo, and South Gate was destroyed! I can't believe I played a part in this debacle."

"Look at it this way, Steiner…it could be worse," I chimed in.

"How can it possibly be any worse, you…?"

"Steiner," Dagger interjected, silencing the knight. "I didn't mean to get you involved, but you saved us. I thank you."

Steiner's attitude immediately turned around as he knelt to Dagger. "Such kind words! I am not worthy. Very well, my mind is made up! I vow to protect you, Princess…until we return to the castle!"

"So the blowhard knight is finally starting to find his own path on the Road. It's almost heartwarming," I sarcastically commented.

Steiner ignored me as Zidane said to Dagger, "Well, how do you feel about that, Dagger? He'll follow you to the ends of the world."

"It's all right, Zidane," Dagger reassured the thief. "Look, I can see the main gate of Lindblum!"

Steiner turned to see what Dagger was seeing. "That's Lindblum Castle? How gigantic!"

"That's putting it mildly," I stated. "The castle itself wraps around the city."

"Yeah," Zidane added, almost as if he was lost in thought. His train of thought, as well as the rest of ours, was broken by Vivi finally speaking up.

"Um, everyone…I have to ask…those black mages and I. Are we…the same?"

We all were at a loss for an answer…that is, everyone except for Steiner.

"Master Vivi, I don't understand. Just what seems to be the problem?"

Vivi lowered his gaze and wrung his hands. "I don't know."

"Master Vivi, why would those mages be the same as you?" Steiner asked. "And why would it matter if they were…?"

"Rusty's right, Vivi!" Zidane chimed in, surprising both Vivi and Steiner. "You're an individual, no matter what happens!"

Steiner, still a bit surprised, simply nodded as Vivi finally looked up from the floor. "R-right!"

Zidane patted Vivi on the back as he ran out the left doorway of the cockpit. "Let's go check out the deck, Vivi!"

Vivi looked a bit confused. "Why?"

"You've gotta see Lindblum from above! It's the best!" Zidane explained in his usual exuberance. I simply chuckled as Zidane led Vivi out, explaining to the mage about the Falcon Gate, the massive entrance to Lindblum's inner circle and the airship docks. As for me, I simply found a spot to lean against as I watched the city roll behind us. Finally, after so long, I was starting to find my peace again.

Yet somewhere, in the back of my mind, a part of me was still on edge, waiting for the next obstacle to reveal itself…

**_New Attacks:_**

**_Stone Hurricane: Unleashes a windstorm of sharp rock, pelting the enemy for a Earth and Wind-elemental combo. Interestingly enough, it also would work on aerial enemies unlike most Earth attacks._**

**Author's Notes:**

**So Black Waltz Numero Tres goes down in what I hope is epic-style. But now Cyrus Truth is weaponless again. I can't write myself a break, can I?**

**Well, thanks to some loser hacker, I had to change e-mail accounts, so I don't have my handy-dandy list of reviewers to thank. So I'll just give you all a big thanks for all the reviews and I promise to properly thank you all in the next chapter.**

**Next time: Fast Times in the City of Lindblum**

**Hey, I don't know if you knew this...but I'm kind of a big deal. Oh, you want to be a big deal? Then I got the perfect way you can do it...REVIEW!**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	11. Fast Times in Lindblum City

Our rickety, barely-together cargo airship managed to enter the Falcon Gate of Lindblum Grand Castle and dock in the airship bay. After several of Lindblum's dockhands secured our vessel, Zidane led our little group off and into the castle itself. The castle walls were teeming, as large gears spun in the walls, operating who knows what in the relatively industrialized castle. Vivi and Steiner looked at all the activity in awe as Zidane smiled, having returned to his hometown.

"Wow!" Vivi exclaimed. "This castle is huge! It's even bigger than Alexandria Castle!"

Zidane patted Vivi on the shoulder. "Yup. They don't call it Lindblum Grand Castle for nothing."

Steiner added, "Indeed…an indoor airship dock! This is truly amazing. Even her Majesty's Red Rose would fit easily in here, and it is one of the largest airships ever constructed!"

I chuckled until I saw a trio of soldiers in large tunics over plate armor, faces concealed by large helmets. They carried large war hammers on man-length poles as they stood in front of us.

"Looks like the welcoming committee's finally arrived," I muttered as Zidane was still busy talking to Dagger, who was explaining how she knew Cid. I walked up and faced the soldiers and smirked. "So, I take it this is the best honor guard that the regency could muster for the heroes who whisked Princess Garnet from Alexandria? I have to be honest, it's rather disappointing."

"What are you talking about?" one of the grunt soldiers, clad in a blue and white tunic, inquired as the ranking officer, in a brown tunic, looked at the airship we rode in on.

"Wow…that's a really old airship."

I face-palmed as Dagger, having realized that security was here, walked up and bowed before speaking in her royal dialect. "Greetings, I am Princess Garnet Til Alexandros, and I humbly request an audience with Regent Cid."

The officer scoffed at such a notion. "You've got to be kidding. No member of the royal family, let alone a princess, would ever ride in such a shabby piece of junk airship! And let's not even talk about the company you're keeping."

"How dare you accuse the princess of lying?" Steiner bellowed. "The princess was forced to come here under extreme circumstances!"

"A likely story," the officer retorted. "Well, if she is a princess, then she should have some proof of her royal heritage."

"Very well, then," Dagger said as she walked up to the officer and showed him the pendent she wore around her neck. It looked like a massive crystal, with the seal of Alexandria in its center. However, it looked incomplete, as if it was once part of a larger crystal…but of course, I already knew that…

All three guards examined the pendent as the officer muttered, "This pendent…is it a Falcon Claw? No, no…the shape is a little different. Still…soldier, call Minister Artania!"

"Yes, sir!" the grunt soldier to the officer's left shouted as he ran to find the minister. Meanwhile, Steiner was grumbling at Zidane.

"Blast it all…if you and the vagrant weren't such filthy oafs, they would not be so suspicious of us."

Zidane shot back, "Hey, at least neither Cyrus nor I are the idiot with the loud voice and the dirty, rusty armor."

"WHAAAAATTT?" Steiner roared as I started laughing out loud. Vivi was confused at the exchange as Dagger and Zidane simply sighed in exasperation. Finally, the minister arrived, escorted by another pair of Lindblum soldiers. He wore a very ornate brown wool overcoat with a white neck collar. His brown hair was shoulder-length and he had a very distinguished beard, which belied his calm and caring nature.

"What is going on here?" Artania asked the officer.

"Sir, we have unknown visitors who wish to see the regent. And one of them is carrying a pendent that looks like a Falcon Claw!" the officer reported.

Artania took one look at the pendent and the girl wearing it before saying, "You are dismissed. I will take care of this."

"Sir!" the officer said as he and the rest of the soldiers slapped a salute. After they had retreated back into the castle, Dagger smiled as she ran up and gave Artania a big hug.

"Uncle Artania! It's been so long!"

Artania nodded as he returned the hug. After Dagger released the embrace, the minister replied, "It's good to see you as well, Princess. Everyone, please follow me. The regent has been expecting you."

"Expecting us, eh?" I chimed in. "Great…political intrigue and subterfuge. The last thing I needed to deal with on the Long and Winding Road."

"So it seems. But not everything is so cut and dry," Artania said as he looked me dead in the eye. He then looked back at Dagger and said, "Everything will be explained once you speak to the regent. Please, follow me."

Dagger and the rest of the party looked confused. I simply shrugged as I started to follow Artania, followed closely by Zidane and Dagger with Steiner and Vivi bringing up the rear. Artania led us through the main hallway of the castle, past a very ornate fountain and dozens of soldiers and engineers. We all marveled at all the activity as Artania led us to an elevator shaft. We all climbed onto the open elevator lift and held onto a railing as the lift ascended.

Artania was explaining to Vivi and Steiner about the castle's different levels as Zidane, Dagger, and I were talking amongst ourselves.

"So Dagger, what's Regent Cid like? I've lived in Lindblum for a while, but I've never met him," Zidane inquired.

Dagger answered, "Regent Cid is very wise. He's always thinking ahead. He may seem a bit odd at times, but he is very dependable. He and my father were best friends…I just hope he'll listen to me."

"Don't worry. We're not leaving until he does," Zidane promised.

I chuckled. "Bold promise, Zidane. Totally unnecessary, but bold."

"What are you talking about, Cyrus?" Zidane asked. "You've been cryptic as all hell since Artania greeted us in the airship hanger."

"You heard what the minister said," I explained. "The regent's expecting us. Doesn't that tell you something? Tell me, Zidane…who was it that hired Tantalus to abduct Dagger in the first place?"

Before Zidane could answer me, Artania announced that we had reached Lindblum Grand Castle's Upper Level. Zidane decided not to press the issue as he and Dagger followed closely behind along with the rest of us. Artania led us down another ornate hallway, decorated with artifacts and heirlooms from previous regents, obviously Cid's ancestors. Artania led us up one set of parallel steps up to what was the throne room.

Artania was the first to enter as he announced, "Sire, Princess Garnet of Alexandria wishes to see you."

With that introduction, Dagger walked into the throne room and bowed regally before the throne. However, as Steiner and I joined her, we quickly realized that the throne was empty and the regent was nowhere to be found.

Noting the concern in Dagger's expression, Steiner asked, "Princess, what is the matter?"

"The regent isn't here," Dagger replied as something caught her eye just behind the throne. "Take a look at the throne."

We all focused on what Dagger was looking at, and what we saw surprised us. Peeking out from behind the throne was a very large insect with a red exoskeleton. However, it had regular human-like eyes and a large bushy mustache. The bug hopped out from behind the throne and sat down.

"Gwok! Gwok-gwok! Greetings!"

Everyone was shocked to see the bug speaking, but no one more than Steiner. As the bug hopped down from the throne and started jumping towards us, Steiner immediately did what he did best…overreact.

"Og…OGLOP!" the knight roared as he reeled back and socked the strange oglop with a swift right jab, sending it flying back onto the throne. Artania, a look of shock on his face, rushed up to the throne to check on the insect.

"Sire!"

"What?" the bug shouted.

Zidane and Vivi ran in after all the shouting. "Hey Dagger, what's wrong? Weren't you speaking with…?"

It was then that Zidane noticed the oglop sitting on the throne. "GEEZ! An oglop?"

"Wow…" Vivi muttered. "Even the oglops are big in Lindblum!"

"What is the meaning of this, Minister?" Steiner demanded. "How dare you greet the princess like this? Get that repulsive bug off the throne, and call the regent!"

Steiner was about to go for another swing at the oglop, but I managed to hold him back. "Calm down, Rust-for-Brains! That oglop IS the regent!"

"What are you saying? Enough of your nonsense!"

"Steiner, stand down," Dagger commanded as Steiner did just that. "I remember that mustache…is that really you, Uncle Cid?"

The oglop, Regent Cid, shook the cobwebs out of his head before speaking. "Yes. Greetings, gwok! I am Cid Fabool, Regent of Lindblum."

Steiner, immediately embarrassed, knelt down in respect as Cid continued, "I knew it was you, Garnet. Your pendent, it's so much like my Falcon Claw, so I realized it had to be you after I heard the description from my aides. I'm delighted to see you again, gwok. You have truly gwok become a fine lady. I, on the other hand…"

"Allow me to explain," Artania chimed in. "About six months ago, someone snuck into the castle and attacked the regent in his sleep. Unfortunately, we were too late…the regent had been transformed into an oglop, and his wife Lady Hilda was abducted."

"My goodness," Dagger said with a gasp.

Zidane, in a pensive mood, added, "Whoever pulled this off had to be highly skilled, like me."

"Hmph! I bet it was you!" Steiner accused.

Cid shook his head. "That's not possible."

"You sound fairly certain of that," I stated. "You obviously have done your homework."

"Of course," Cid said proudly. "I may be a bug, gwok, but I'm still the regent of Lindblum."

"Uncle Cid," Dagger pleaded, "I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice. I desperately need to speak to you about my mother."

The regent nodded. "That what I figured, but I'm sure that it can wait until tomorrow, gwok. Why don't you all get some rest for today?"

"Thank you, Uncle Cid," Dagger agreed.

Artania walked down from beside the throne and stood in front of us. "It is time for lunch. If you would, please follow me."

"Um, yeah…I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll pass," Zidane replied. "There's some things I need to take care of now that I'm back in Lindblum. So if you don't mind…"

"That's fine, gwok," Cid replied. "I'll have rooms prepared for you at one of the inns in the Business District, next to the exit gate."

"Sounds good. Thanks!" Zidane said cheerily as he started to leave.

"Hold it," I said as I walked up to Zidane. "I'll come with you. It's…been a while since I've been in Lindblum. I'd like to get a feel for the place again."

"Suit yourself," Zidane said with a shrug. I nodded as I bowed politely at Regent Cid and Dagger as I followed Zidane out of the throne room and back to the lift.

Zidane led me to the air taxi depot of Lindblum Castle and requested a flight to the Industrial District. I watched out the window as the city's various districts flew past us in a blur until we reached our destination.

We stepped out of the cab and into the district itself, as I took in the sights. The sun was starting to dip below the horizon as I looked at the Industrial District, which even this late in the day was still bustling with activity from the many engineers who called this district home. In the center of the district's square was a large statue of the previous regent, which to my eye was done very well, showing off the former ruler's will and determination. Zidane led me up a flight of steps to a tavern of sorts as he looked at the sign outside.

"I'm actually somewhat surprised with you, Zidane," I mentioned. "I would've thought it would've taken a crowbar to pry you away from the princess."

"Very funny," Zidane said with a chuckle. "Truth is, I can't stand the food at the castle. It's way too high-class for my tastes. How can anyone get full on that stuff?"

I shrugged. "You're talking to the wrong guy, Zidane. As long as it's cooked and there's plenty of salt and pepper, I can eat pretty much anything. All part of being a wanderer."

"Well, trust me. The cheap food here is a lot better. Hmm, the special's Soup du Silence. Not bad at all. Come on, let's go grab a bowl."

"Wait…it's not going to actually Silence me, is it?" I asked.

"Nah, it's safe…I think. Come on, we're wasting daylight!"

I sighed as I followed Zidane into the tavern, which was abuzz with patrons all over the place. There were a lot of people in that small little café as Zidane shouted at the older man behind the bar.

"Yo, Pops! My friend and I'll have the stupid special!"

"Who said that?" the tavern master shouted before laying his eyes on Zidane. "Zidane, eh…figured it was you."

"How've you been, Bobo?" Zidane asked as we took a seat.

"Alright, I guess," Bobo answered as he cleaned a beer stein. "Have a seat, guys. Your soup'll be ready in a minute."

"Thanks," I said. "And could I get a beer with that?"

Bobo nodded. "Cheap or good?"

I smirked. "Good and cheap."

Bobo laughed as he poured me a stein. He handed me the glass as he said, "There ya go. I'm gonna go get that soup for you."

"Thanks," I said as I took a swig. It was at that moment that Zidane's tail struck someone…a very lovely, busty waitress carrying several beer steins.

"Hey, do you mind?" the waitress asked Zidane. "You're getting in my way, and I've got customers to serve."

Zidane's jaw dropped at the sight of the waitress as he followed her around the tavern with his gaze. I paid him no mind as I continued to drink.

"Once again, Zidane's entranced with yet another woman. He hasn't changed a bit…" a feminine voice muttered next to me.

"Huh?" I blurted as I turned to see who said that. To my left was sitting an anthropomorphic rat lady wearing a red coat over heavy armor. Her tail stuck out from her coat and had a red bow tied on it. Much of her face and white hair was hidden by a large red hat, with slits cut in the brim to allow her to see.

"_Freya," _I thought as I said, "Were you talking to me?"

"Not really," the dragon knight replied as she took a drink. "But I suppose I am now. Are you Zidane's friend?"

"Something like that," I said as Zidane started to put the moves on the waitress, mentioning something about an airship. "It's a long story, but suffice it to say I've been traveling with him for a while now."

"I see," Freya replied. "Well, you can tell me all about it, but first…"

Freya, without looking away from her drink, shouted, "Hey, monkey-tail! You're disturbing the other customers."

Zidane, rattled by Freya's comments, turned to face her. "What the…you've got a tail too, rat-face!"

"Rat-face," Freya said as she took another drink. "After I finish my drink, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Oh, my," I chimed in, playing along. "Zidane against a Burmecian Dragon Knight…that's a fight I'd pay money to see."

"Zidane, you know the rules," Bobo warned as he brought out two bowls of soup. "Take it outside."

At that moment, Freya finished her drink and stood up, face-to-face with Zidane. "Long time, no see."

Zidane's expression immediately changed. "Oh, hey! How's it going? Wait a minute…"

"You forgot my name?" Freya asked after Zidane paused.

"No, I remember…Helga, right?"

"Wrong," Freya answered, obviously getting a bit irritated.

"Christine?"

"No!"

Zidane pondered it for a second before exclaiming, "Oh yeah! You used to live next door to me. How's it going…Ratchel? Man, you've really gotten…big."

"Why, you nasty little…!" Freya said with a snarl.

"Come on, Freya, calm down. You know I never forget a pretty girl's name," Zidane said, finally ending the ruse. "So, how've you been?"

Freya calmed down as Bobo got her a refill. I started eating my soup (and found it surprisingly good) as Freya chuckled, "Same old Zidane."

"How long has it been?" Zidane asked.

"About three years," Freya answered as she took a drink.

"So, find anything out about your boyfriend?"

"No" was Freya's quick and pointed answer. Zidane caught the hint and changed the subject. "So, what brings you to Lindblum?"

"The Festival of the Hunt, what else?" Freya replied. "It's a good opportunity to test my skills. Aren't you participating?"

"Nah, I think I'll pass," Zidane said as he started in on his soup.

Freya smirked. "Lazy bum."

In-between slurps of soup, Zidane asked, "So Freya, are you ever gonna go back?"

Freya's mood turned sullen. "No. I have no reason to return to Burmecia. There is nothing there for me anymore."

"I see…" Zidane said as he quietly returned to his soup.

Freya, after taking another drink, turned back to face me. "So, what about you, Zidane's friend? Are you a lazy bum like him?"

"The name's Cyrus, Miss Freya," I retorted as I finished my soup and grabbed my beer. "And to answer your question…sure, why not? Soon as I find myself a decent weapon, I'll be right in line for the Festival."

"You lost your weapon?" Freya asked as she shook her head. "That's hardly a good sign of things to come for you."

"And if I told you I lost it after sticking it in a powerful enemy mage's chest, would that make a difference?"

Freya chuckled. "Perhaps. At any rate, I look forward to seeing if you're any more talented than monkey-tail over there."

"Hey, I can hear you, you know!" Zidane shouted. We all got a good laugh out of it as we finished up our meals and drinks and ordered another round. Zidane and Freya exchanged stories as I sat back and listened intently. After a few hours, night fell and we all headed our separate ways, as Zidane and I headed for our rooms at the inn in the Business District. Having several drinks in me, I quickly fell asleep in the inn's soft bed, too tired even to dream…

"Kupo…"

Hearing the distinctive sound of a moogle, I woke up the next morning, head slightly dizzy but sober nonetheless. Sure enough, standing at the foot of my bed was a moogle, peering over the edge like Kilroy. I looked out the window to see that the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon.

"Hey, morning fuzzball…" I sleepily said with a yawn. "So, why'd you wake me up?"

"Kupo…sorry for waking you up, but I have a letter for you," the moogle said as he held out an envelope.

"A letter?" I said, slightly confused as I took the envelope and opened it. The lettering was very ornate, much like Old English-style calligraphy. The letter read:

"_Morning, sleepyhead! Been a while since you and I have had a chat, and seeing as how you were sleeping so soundly I couldn't bear waking you up. Shame though…I was considering giving you back Final Chapter, too. Oh well, I guess you were just too exhausted to reach out and grab it._

"_At any rate, I must say that you've been quite entertaining so far, playing my little game. But I must admit that I am SO looking forward to seeing how you handle the upcoming maelstrom that is to come. Do remember to keep to that Code of yours…after all, we can't have this game ending on account of people thinking you're insane should you tell them you're from another world and that their world is little more than a game to you. But, you do what you will._

"_We'll be in touch, Exile. Signed, Gihen."_

I immediately tossed off whatever drowsiness I had and replaced it with anger. Gihen was still playing games with me, and the spirit obviously didn't want me to forget that very fact. I crumbled the letter in my fist as I tossed it out a nearby window.

"Um, bad news, kupo?" the moogle asked.

I snapped back to the present as I faced the moogle. "Nah, just someone playing a joke on me. Well, since I'm up, I should probably find myself a new scythe. Where's the nearest weapon shop?"

"Well, Dragoos is the best weapon vendor in town. Follow Main Street until you reach a fountain. Dragoos's shop is there, along with Alice's Item Shop and the synthesis shop. They should be able to help you, kupo!"

"Thanks, little buddy," I said as I got out of bed and grabbed my coat. After sliding it on, I headed out of the inn and into town.

Lindblum's Business District lived up to its name…it was nearly as hectic as a bad day at the stock exchange. Dozens upon dozens of people coming and going on either side of the broad boardwalk, and any number of kiosks and stands selling all manner of goods lined the street. Even this early in the morning, people of all different races and species were in a rush, either shopping or selling in preparation for the Festival of the Hunt. Several of the people I passed by shot me glances, but paid me little mind as they passed by and went about their day.

After a few minutes of walking, I made it to the square off the main road with the fountain. Sure enough, I saw several large shops, including the weapon and item shops. Deciding that re-arming myself was my first priority, I headed for the weapon shop. I walked in and found myself surrounding by a small arsenal of assorted weapons and armor. Much of the older, secondhand stuff was piled on the edge of the floor, while some of the more intricate pieces were hanging on the wall to my left. I admired the large sword hanging on the wall…and I had to chuckle when I saw what else was hanging on the wall.

Hanging beneath the sword were a pair of trench knives, silver in color and looking very sharp. The blades curved slightly, almost like a scythe's blade, and the knuckle-guards were pointed and very lethal. Next to the trench knives was a large oak longbow, with intricate runes carved into the shaft. There was a quiver of arrows hanging next to it, and even someone like me could sense that the arrows were more than they appeared to be.

"_Clever, Gihen…I'll give you that," _I thought with a smile as I headed for the counter. The weapon dealer, a burly mammoth humanoid who I remembered as Dragoos, shuffled up and greeted me.

"Hey there!" Dragoos said in a very bombastic tone. "Welcome to my shop, stranger. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I got into a battle with a pretty nasty monster and I lost my weapon. Plus, I could use some light armor if you have any."

"Do we ever!" Dragoos replied. "Armor and weapons are what I do, mister! So, what kind of weapon was it? Sword, spear, daggers?"

"A scythe."

Dragoos's tone turned a bit more somber. "Oh…definitely an obscure choice. Haven't heard of anyone using a scythe in decades. In fact, the only people who used to use scythes in any extensive way were the alchemists."

"That so?" I said, somewhat intrigued. Apparently, there was more of a history behind my job class than I originally thought.

"Pretty much…but that's ancient history. At any rate, I don't know much about that. What I do know is that as far as a combat scythe goes, I got nothing. Hmm, maybe…yeah, Torres could probably help you."

"Torres?"

Dragoos nodded. "Torres is the old synthesis master. He's been trying to teach his apprentice Wayne in the business for a couple of years now, but he's still active in spite of his age. And he's forgotten more about weapons than I've learned. If anyone can help you out, it'd be him. His shop's on the other side of the street from mine."

"Great, thanks!" I replied. "Before I leave, could I get fitted for some light armor? Something lightweight that I can fit under my regular clothes."

"Can do. I've got some mythril chainmail that'll work just fine. It'll take just a minute, and I can have it sent to wherever you're staying."

I nodded. "Great. Let's do this."

Sure enough, Dragoos got me fitted for a mythril chainmail vest that I could wear under my overshirt and coat. After paying the weaponsmith, I headed across the street to the synthesis shop, a rather unassuming shop almost built into one of the city's walls. There was smoke and steam pouring out of several metal flues as I headed inside.

The inside of the shop looked like an old Medieval smithy, complete with a roaring furnace that heated the metals to create the various weapons and items that this shop could produce. Behind the counter was a young redheaded man wearing blue overalls. He was talking to a Lindblum soldier about his war hammer when a loud, ornery voice shouted from the back:

"WAYNE! You numbskull! The furnace is turned up too hot! Too much heat'll ruin a weapon just as much as too little!"

"Calm down, Master Torres," Wayne replied in a calm matter as he finished up with the Lindblum soldier. "We've got customers."

From the back, an elderly man in a hooded blue tunic walked out, grumbling under his breath as he worked to lower the heat in the furnace. The Lindblum soldier thanked Wayne as he walked past me, stopping to ask, "You here for a weapon before the Festival?"

"Um, yeah."

"Well, this place is awesome! They made my hammer out of a frying pan!"

I replied in a deadpan tone, "Great story…shouldn't you get back to your duties or something?"

"Oh, right! Thanks for the reminder!" the Lindblum soldier shouted as he ran out in a panic. I shook my head as I walked up to the counter.

"Welcome to the Torres Synthesis Shop!" Wayne said with enthusiasm. "What can we do for you today?"

"I'm in need of a very…obscure weapon for the Festival of the Hunt," I explained.

Wayne looked confused. "How obscure are we talking here?"

"A scythe," I simply stated.

"Scythe?" Torres shouted as he walked up to the counter. "You fight with a scythe? Hmm…"

"Is that a problem?"

Torres shook his head as he grabbed my wrist and looked at my palm. After examining the alchemy seals on my hands, he nodded knowingly. "Yeah, you definitely need a scythe."

I took back my hand. "You know what I am?"

Torres snorted indignantly. "Of course! I may be old, but I know a thing or two about a thing or two. Especially when an alchemist comes wandering into my shop."

"What do you know about the alchemists?" I asked. "I've only just begun learning about my abilities, and most of that was learned on the fly."

Torres stroked his white beard in a pensive mood. "That so? Well, can't say that's surprising. Wayne, man the counter. I've got to have a talk with this man."

"Um, sure. You've got it, Master Torres," Wayne said as Torres motioned for me to follow him. After walking around the counter and heading to the back, Torres sat down on a stool.

"So, an alchemist in this day and age," Torres said after a brief silence. "Not only that, but one that's pretty much trained himself. I didn't think anybody had any interest in the old arts."

"'The old arts?'" I asked, somewhat confused. "I don't understand."

Torres sighed. "Yeah, you wouldn't. While books and stuff still have information on alchemy, the history of the alchemists isn't in any of them. A lot of people would like to forget that. Idiots…"

"Why?" I implored.

"I only know what my grandfather told me back when I was a kid," Torres explained. "Back in his day, alchemists were at their peak. Strange mystics, trying to understand the composition of nature and all things in it. Combining powerful magic with scientific methods, they managed to figure out how to break down various items with the power of the four basic elements and recombine them into something new. Some alchemists even learned how to use what they had learned in combat, using seals on their hands to turn items into powerful magic attacks."

"Seals…" I muttered as I looked at my palms. "So what happened to the alchemists?"

Torres grumbled. "As with most things, a group of morons had to ruin it for the rest of the society. A faction of alchemists got a bit too obsessed with the science and sought ways to turn common metals into gold. To do that, they tried any number of different methods, all of them failing miserably. So, instead of accepting that there were some things that they couldn't manipulate in nature, they began to dig a little deeper.

"Eventually, those alchemists came across really old scrolls, talking about an artifact that would allow its user to defy the rules of nature. The alchemists, thinking that it was the key to fully unlocking the mysteries of alchemy, worked feverishly to find it. When they didn't, they started trying to create the artifact. That's when it all went to hell…"

Torres wiped some sweat off his brow with a handkerchief. "Those bastards starting performing dark rituals, human sacrifices all in the name of creating that damned artifact. Many innocent people died thanks to those loons, and the kingdoms at the time blamed all alchemists for the actions of a few. The alchemists were hunted down, some were imprisoned…others executed. It was only afterwards that the rulers at the time realized they had made a mistake, but the damage was done. The alchemists were nearly wiped out, and any survivors quickly gave up alchemy altogether. Still, their legacy lives on, I guess. Hell, modern-day engineering and item synthesis has their roots one way or another in alchemy."

As I listened to Torres's speech, I started to realize that Gihen had done much more than just plop me into a video game. The demon had created a whole back-story for me and the profession he had foisted upon me. And having listened to the old synthesis master explain the horrible Truth, it made me realize that I was a forced exile in this world, instead of being The Exile by choice. But I still was left to wonder…to what end? What did Gihen have in store for me?

"I see," I finally said after digesting Torres's story. "So why did you say that I needed a scythe, being an alchemist?"

Torres chuckled. "That's easy. Alchemists were wanderers by nature, always exploring the world. They figured they could learn more about nature and the natural order by actually seeing it. They carried scythes so that they could harvest items to try in new alchemical combinations. And instead of carrying around other weapons to protect against monsters, the alchemists simply learned how to fight with a scythe."

"Oh…guess that makes sense," I replied. "Well, I appreciate the history lesson. It gives me a lot to think about."

"No problem," Torres replied back. "It's rare to find a young man like yourself willing to learn from the past. I'd be careful, though…there are those who haven't quite forgotten the alchemists, and some still hold a grudge."

"Duly noted," I replied as I started to turn to leave. Torres, however, got off his stool and stopped me.

"Um, aren't you forgetting something?"

My mind drew a blank before remembering. "Oh, right! I'd almost forgotten what I came here for! I still need a scythe."

Torres laughed as he headed for a corner of the backroom. "Well, fortunately, my grandfather was a bit of a collector. After the fall of the alchemists, he managed to get his hands on this…"

Torres grabbed something wrapped in a cotton sheet from a pile of antiques. He handed it to me as he said, "I've had this for years. Truth be told, it's mostly just cluttering the back here, so it's yours to have. Just do me a favor and put up a damn good fight during the Festival."

I removed the sheet to reveal a new scythe. This one was made of the same light-blue mythril that my new chainmail was made of. The shaft was engraved with what looked like angelic wings and the end was a large pyramidal-shaped pike. The blade was connected to the shaft by a series of winding, twisted tendrils, almost as if it were held by magical vines. As for the blade, it was far more ornate and vicious-looking than Talon, resembling a raptor's claw. All in all, this weapon was almost like a work of art, and to my delight I found it to be very light and well-balanced.

"Wow…" I muttered as I shouldered the weapon. "Does this weapon have a name?"

Torres shrugged. "Couldn't say. All I know is that it belonged to an alchemist who, by my grandfather's account, was one of the leaders of the alchemists who tried to petition for reason with the kingdoms. Still, she died in the alchemist hunt. So, I guess it doesn't have a name."

"Well, then…since this is part of my heritage, I know exactly what to call it."

After pausing for a few seconds, I said one word:

"Legacy…"

After leaving Torres's shop with Legacy (along with a new, proper scythe sheath), I ran into one of Regent Cid's aides, who insisted that the regent wanted to speak to me. I thought about blowing it off, but I decided to play nice and follow the aide back to Lindblum Grand Castle after picking up my chainmail from the inn (as I silently thanked Dragoos for being so damn efficient). It was well past noon when I reached the regent's throne room, where Cid and Artania were waiting.

"Gwok! Thank you for coming, Cyrus. Garnet's told me a lot about you. I'm sorry you had to get mixed up in all this."

"There's no need to apologize, Cid," I replied, forgoing the formalities. "Still, it seems a bit risky, hiring Tantalus to kidnap the heir to your neighboring kingdom's throne on little more than a hunch."

Artania was in shock. "How did you know that the regent…?"

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," I answered. "What I want to know is why you've called me here. If the princess has already told you the whole story, then what could I know that would be so damn important?"

Cid hopped off his throne as he started pacing at an oglop's pace. "Gwok…I'm curious as to what you plan to do now that Garnet has been safely brought here. You don't seem like the sort to…gwok!...stay for very long in one place."

"Nor am I one to plan that far ahead," I replied. "I'm going to participate in the Festival of the Hunt. After that is anyone's guess."

"The Festival? Gwok, interesting. There's a lot of talented warriors taking part this year. And from Garnet told me, you can handle yourself better than most in combat."

"I managed," I simply stated. "At any rate, what my plans and intentions are my own. If nothing else, you can trust me when I tell you that I have no desire to bring misfortune to Lindblum or its people."

"I appreciate that, gwok," Cid said. He then walked up to me as he stood at my feet. "I figured that I could trust you after what you did to help bring Garnet here, but…"

"…But your grandfather told you stories about the alchemists, I take it?" I replied. "Well, I've only just learned about the history of the alchemists myself, and all I've ever wanted was to understand alchemy. Nothing more or less. The only danger I pose is to someone who would use their powers at the expense of others."

"Well said…gwok," Cid replied. "Well, since you are participating in the Festival tomorrow, perhaps I can help you out. Our library has many different texts regarding the alchemists. Most of it is in the secure section, gwok, off-limits to all but myself and my most trusted aides. But, seeing as I owe you for helping my niece, I think I can make an exception for you. You may also want to talk to Zebolt, our chief engineer. Many of the items we use in airship construction were used by combat alchemists in the past. Maybe you can, gwok, find a use for them."

"I appreciate that, Regent," I said with a polite bow. Artania then motioned for me to follow him as he led me to the library. Once there, he gave the librarian permission to allow me into the secured section, where I immediately started to pour over book after book, learning a lot more about alchemy than I could have hoped for.

I spent the rest of the day either in the library studying the texts or at the airship construction docks, where Zebolt gave me access to a multitude of items that I pocketed for use in later alchemical combinations. I took my meals in the library, not spending any spare seconds as I continued reading and reading into the late hours of the night. Finally, exhaustion caught up to me as I fell asleep with my face buried in a book, the last thought in my head before sleep took me being that of what awaited me tomorrow morning…

The Festival of the Hunt.

_**New Weapon:**_

_**Legacy-A very elegant scythe crafted from mythril back in the Golden Age of Alchemy**_

**Author's Notes:**

**Most likely my longest chapter to date, but I had a lot to cram in before the Festival of the Hunt. So I hope the length isn't too off-putting. But there's a lot of development in this chapter that'll feed into the story later on down the road. So yeah, awesome sauce, right? RIGHT? WHY AREN'T YOU AGREEING WITH ME, DAMN IT?**

**...sorry, lost my mind for a bit there.**

**Thanks go out to reviewers NobodiesHiiro, The Duelist of Dawn, FF and STH, Dreylen, butcherthegirl (who's going by a new name, will have to try and learn it), and ExtremeuGamer. These folks are cool because they use their words to express their like and/or dislike in the form of typed words. You wanna be cool too, right? So review! Come on, everyone's doing it...**

**Does Internet peer pressure work? Eh, who the hell knows...**

**Next time: Hunt, Hunt, Hunt...I'm The HUNTSMAN!**

**Kudos to anyone who gets the joke behind that chapter title.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	12. Hunt, Hunt, Hunt, I'm the HUNTSMAN!

"Excuse me, Master Cyrus? It's morning."

I stirred awake to see that the castle librarian was trying to get me up. Sure enough, the librarian was correct in that it was bright and early morning. I shook the cobwebs out of my head as I closed the book I had fallen asleep reading and handed it to the librarian.

"Sorry about that," I apologized. "It was a lot of reading, and…"

The librarian chuckled. "Oh, it's quite all right. No harm done, after all. At any rate, I heard from one of the soldiers that you were participating in the Festival of the Hunt today. And knowing how exhausting it can be, I assumed you would want to grab some breakfast before the Hunt began."

I nodded as my stomach growled. "Yeah, you've got a good point there. I appreciate you waking me up."

"Oh, it's no trouble," the librarian assured me. "They're serving breakfast at the soldiers' barracks, and I don't think they'll mind if you join them. It's on the Mid Level, just before you reach the Falcon's Gate airship dock."

"Great, thanks!" I replied as I stood up and headed out of the library and to the lift. I rode the life down to the Mid Level and, after a minute of searching, found the barracks and the mess hall. The soldiers there, just like the librarian said, welcomed me to join them as one of the servants got me a plate stacked with eggs and smoked ham. As I dug in, some of the soldiers started asking me questions about the escape from Alexandria and the journey from there to Lindblum, so in-between bites and second helpings I told them the story, embellishing where needed to make the story entertaining. The soldiers all listened intently to my tales as I finished up my breakfast. I thanked them for the meal as they all wished me luck in the Festival of the Hunt.

After finishing up breakfast, one of Regent Cid's aides informed me that the Festival would commence right at noon and that I was to wait in the castle's guest room for instructions from one of the Festival's officials. I thanked the aide as I left the barracks and headed for the guest room. No one else was in the guest room as I walked up to one of the beds and grabbed the chainmail I'd bought yesterday. After fitting it over my undershirt and putting on my red shirt and alchemist's coat, I sat on the bed, waiting for the others to arrive.

"Good morning, kupo!" a moogle from across the room cheerily greeted. "Are you waiting for the Festival of the Hunt to begin?"

"Yeah, I'll be participating," I replied. "You the castle's personal moogle?"

"Something like that, kupo," the moogle replied. "I'm Mogki. I help the servants with maintaining the guest room for the regent's visitors. Hey, are you maybe heading for Burmecia anytime soon, kupo?"

"Hmm, perhaps," I answered. "Why?"

"Kupo…I have a letter for Atla, kupo. But Artemicion hasn't stopped by in ages, kupo. I was wondering if you could take it to her instead."

I shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't have any real plans for after the Festival, so maybe I will go visit Burmecia."

"Thanks a lot, kupo!" Mogki exclaimed as he handed me his letter. I pocketed the envelope as I sat on the bed, wondering when the others would show up. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait much longer, as Freya walked in, her well-worn spear sheathed on her back. From the looks of it, Freya had spent some time recently sharpening it, making sure it was ready for monster slaying.

"Freya! I was wondering if you were going to show up," I shouted as I stood up and walked down to greet her.

Freya immediately noticed Legacy securely fastened to my back. "So, you fight with a scythe…a very obscure choice. Some would say it's almost impossible to use effectively in combat."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," I teasingly retorted. "But talk like that doesn't last past the first few minutes when I get to swinging."

"Confident, aren't we?" Freya mused. "Well, I look forward to seeing if your skills match your boasts."

"The feeling is mutual," I replied as I saw more people entering the guest room: Dagger, Steiner, and Vivi.

"Oh, Cyrus!" Dagger excitedly said when she entered the room. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Hey princess," I replied. "I'm participating in the Festival of the Hunt today, and they asked some of us to meet here in the guest room. What are you doing here, by the way?"

Dagger shrugged. "Uncle Cid said we should wait here until the Festival begins. I'm not so sure I want to watch it…"

"But Princess, you must!" Steiner insisted. "Please, you might enjoy it."

Dagger sighed. "I suppose…"

"Hey, if nothing else, you can watch and cheer me on when I wipe the floor with the competition," I suggested in a boastful tone.

Freya chuckled. "Unlikely. It will be me who wins the contest."

"Keep telling yourself that, Freya," I shot back before realizing that I hadn't introduced her to Dagger and the rest of the gang. "Damn it, where are my manners? Dagger, Steiner, Vivi…this is Freya. She's a Burmecian Dragon Knight, and she's also taking part in the Hunt. And for some reason, she thinks she's going to beat me."

"All the more reason to root for her, you filthy vagabond!" Steiner bellowed before saluting Freya. "Captain Adelbert Steiner of the Alexandrian Pluto Knights! It is a pleasure to meet a fellow knight."

"Likewise," Freya replied, somewhat uninterested. Steiner, oblivious as always, paid it no mind as Vivi started to pace a little.

"What's up, Vivi?" I asked.

"Oh, I was just wondering where Zidane was."

"Zidane?" I asked in a false-confused tone. "I thought he wasn't participating."

Dagger, obviously flustered, replied, "He, ah…he told me yesterday that he changed his mind. But he's running late…if he doesn't get here soon…"

"Hey!" Zidane's voice shouted from the guest room door. Sure enough, the tailed thief sauntered in, carrying a new pair of daggers. The blades were blue and were massive, almost as large as an axe blade. They looked roughly like two lightning bolts as Zidane kept them sheathed to his back.

"Wow, looks like someone's gotten a new pair of knives," I teased. "So, what prompted you to get off your lazy ass and actually go hunting today?"

Zidane laughed. "Those 'knives' are called The Ogre. And they're going to completely kick your butt!"

"I'll believe it when I see it, Zidane," Freya simply stated. "We'll see if you've improved your skills."

Before Zidane could reply, one of the Lindblum elite soldiers came walking in, carrying a scroll as he mumbled to himself. Finally he spoke up:

"Ah, good. You're all here. The rest of the participants are being briefed in other sections of the castle. Allow me to explain the rules of the Hunt.

"First, you will all have 30 minutes to hunt down as many monsters as you can within Lindblum's various districts. Our handlers have just released them, so they should be all over the city by now. For every monster you slay, our judges will award points based on the monster slain and how long it took to fell. Second, curative items are permitted, but if you become too injured to continue you will immediately be disqualified. Third, at any time, you are permitted to use the air taxis to go to any of the other districts you please. Keep in mind, though, that the clock will continue to run while you are en route. Whoever scores the most points without disqualification will be granted the title of Master Hunter and receive a reward."

The soldier pulled out a quill and put it to his scroll. "And what would you like for your hunter's reward?"

"I'll go with Gil, all the way!" Zidane exclaimed as he thumped his chest.

Freya sighed before answering, "I'll take an accessory."

"And what about you, Mr. Cyrus?" the soldier asked as he scribbled down Zidane and Freya's requests.

I thought about it for a minute before smirking. "I request several books from the castle library's collection, regarding the alchemists."

The soldier's eyebrows shot up, but he shrugged as he wrote it down. "And what about you, Mr. Vivi?"

"WHAT?" Vivi shouted in shock. "I never signed up!"

Zidane shot a mischievous grin as he walked up to Vivi. "Yeah, I thought you would do pretty well, so I signed you up. Come on…with your black magic, it'll be a piece of cake!"

Vivi started wringing his hands nervously. "I…I don't know…"

Freya shook her head disapprovingly. "That was very inconsiderate of you, Zidane."

"No kidding," I replied. "Not that Vivi can't handle himself, but you should've asked him before signing him up."

Zidane rolled his eyes in aggravation before an idea popped into his mind. He bent over and whispered something to Vivi.

"What?" Vivi shouted. "Me and the princess?"

Zidane tried to hush him, but Steiner's impeccable ability to hear anything remotely sounding like the word "princess" caught Vivi's outburst as he ran down and confronted Zidane. "What was that? You just mentioned the princess! What evil deeds are you plotting now?"

"It's nothing!" Zidane said as innocently as he could. "Right, Vivi?"

"R-right, it's nothing," Vivi reassured Steiner in his nervous tone.

"Very well, then…so then what will your reward be, Mr. Vivi?" the soldier asked again.

Vivi wrung his hands nervously before replying, "Um, I'll take a card."

"Good. So, it's Gil, an accessory, texts on the alchemists, and a…a card. Very well, now for your starting positions. The three districts in play are the Business District, the Theater District, and the Industrial District. Hunter Zidane will start in the Theater District, Hunter Vivi will start in the Business District, and Hunters Freya and Cyrus will begin in the Industrial District. Air cabs are waiting in the depot to take you to your assigned starting points. Good luck, and good hunting."

We all nodded at the soldier as Zidane, Vivi, Freya, and I headed out and walked to the air cab depot. Zidane and Vivi boarded separate taxis as Freya and I climbed into ours. As the air cab rumbled towards the Industrial District, the cab driver explained that once we landed, the city-wide intercom system would announce when all the hunters would start. At that moment, the cab doors would open and the Festival of the Hunt would commence.

After listening to the cab driver, I unsheathed Legacy and shouldered the weapon, something Freya mimicked.

"Why did you request information on the alchemists?" Freya asked as we neared the Industrial District.

"Call it a desire to know about my predecessors," I replied as I showed Freya the seal on my left palm.

Freya looked at it and shrugged, "So, you're an alchemist yourself? A very dangerous road to go down, considering what some of those 'predecessors' did in the past."

"Then call it trying to redeem the ones persecuted for the actions of those misguided idiots," I retorted. "At any rate, I want those books so that I learn more about alchemy. Much of what I've learned to this point has been by trial and error. Last thing I need is to try a combination and have it blow up in my face…literally."

"Fair enough," Freya replied as our air cab came to a stop at the Industrial District. Through the windows, we saw a trio of fangs pacing around. One of the fangs, in a rage, rammed the side of the air cab with force, shaking the cab. Freya and I tightened our grips on our respective weapons as a voice shouted over the loudspeakers:

"_The Festival of the Hunt is about to begin! We remind all of our citizens to stay off the streets until the monsters have been routed. Hunters…on your marks…get set…"_

Freya and I dropped into our battle stances as Freya said with a smirk, "Don't get yourself killed, alchemist."

"Try not to fall behind, dragon knight," I shot back with a grin as the voice behind the speaker gave the signal:

"_GO!"_

_**(Play "Hunter's Chance" from the Final Fantasy IX OST)**_

The cab doors opened as Freya and I rushed out, brandishing our respective weapons. Legacy earned its first kill when I drove the blade clean through a fang's torso. Freya, however, was quick as she dispatched one fang and almost instantly followed through with a jab to the second.

"What was that about keeping up?" Freya taunted as she leapt up the top of the stairs leading to the Industrial District. "You'd best move faster if you wish to keep up with me!"

I snarled as Freya headed into the district. As fast as I could, I ran up the stairs to follow, Legacy held behind me ready to strike in an instant. As I entered the Industrial District, I was immediately accosted by a pair of mus, who immediately met the same fate as the fang from earlier as I cleaved them asunder.

As I was making my way through the Industrial District, the master of ceremonies would continuously announce who was leading in points. In the beginning, various names were being announced, along with mine, Freya's, Zidane's, and even Vivi's. The lead changed almost by the minute as I continued slicing my way through fangs and mus.

"_Hunter Zidane leads with 74 Points!"_

"Damn it," I muttered as I reached the Industrial District's main square. There, perched on the statue of the previous regent, were several trick sparrows. The blue-feathered avians took notice of me as they all swooped down, looking to dive bomb me.

"Arcana Number One: Exile's Edge!" I shouted as a small, fierce wind spun around Legacy's blade. I slashed at the trick sparrows as the wind disoriented them, forcing them to crash. I wasted little time as I cut them all down.

"_Hunter Cyrus leads with 87 Points!"_

I nodded, pleased with myself…that is, until the lead changed. First, it was Freya with 92 points, then someone called the Strange Gourmand with 94, and then some guy named Ivan with 97. I swore as I plunged deeper into the Industrial District.

I was running towards Bobo's Doom Café when I saw a man wearing armor on the ground, being attended to by the same waitress that Zidane was ogling last night. I immediately ran up to them, wary of any approaching enemies.

"What are you doing out here, lady?" I demanded. "There's monsters crawling all over the district!"

"I know, I know! But this man got hurt outside of the café. I couldn't just watch…I just had to help!"

"M'lady," the man on the ground said, "Your sentiment is touching, but Ivan Flame-Tongue would never wish a fair damsel such as yourself to put herself at risk for me."

"Stow the chivalrous knight routine!" I shouted. "Look, what's your name, miss?"

"Lillian."

"All right, Lillian. I need you to drag Ivan here into the café. I'll stand here and fend off any…"

As I spoke, a quartet of fangs ran out from the alleyways near the Doom Café, and like the pack animals they were, they began to circle around the three of us, looking rather hungry.

"Oh, you think you're smart, do you?" I said tauntingly to the fangs as I grabbed two items from my coat that I had gotten from Engineer Zebolt. Surprisingly, I learned through my research that many of the items that were used in airship construction and weapons design were actually useful Mix items, so I took the chance to stock up.

"Mix! Bomb Fragment and Trick Sparrow Wing, Elemental Fire!"

The familiar sensation of the deconstructed items raced from my left hand to my right as I held my right hand above my head.

"Burning Squall!"

A crimson sphere appeared in my right palm and dissipated as wind started howling around the three of us. The fangs were confused as the wind swirled around them…until it ignited, immolating them quickly and painfully. The four fangs fell to the ground, burnt to a crisp as they breathed their last.

"What in Gaia…?" Ivan said in a low tone as I helped Lillian drag him to the Doom Café.

"Are you going to be all right?" I asked the fallen warrior.

"Yes, I will survive…but I am unable to fight right now. Therefore, I leave the Hunt to you, brave warrior."

"Thank you for helping us," Lillian said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. She blushed a bit as she said, "I…we…owe you our lives."

"Don't mention it," I said nonchalantly as the man on the loudspeakers announced that Freya had regained the lead with 113 points. I nodded once to Ivan and Lillian as I ran for the air cab depot, slaying a couple of mus along the way. Knowing that time was now my biggest enemy, I decided to try my hand at hunting in the Theater District.

After getting in the open cab and telling the driver our destination, he revved the engines and flew at a breakneck pace, hoping to minimize the downtime I would have due to the trip…

_**17:23 Remaining**_

The air cab reached the Theater District as I quickly stepped out. I ran out of the depot and found a hungry fang waiting for me. I sidestepped the beast as I drove the pike at the end of Legacy's shaft into its skull, smashing it and leaving him dead. I heard an update as to who the new leader was, but I paid little attention to it as I went deeper into the district.

There were slain monsters throughout the many avenues and boulevards of the Theater District, but more creatures continued to roam the streets. I kept cutting through as many as I could as I worked towards where I remembered Tantalus's hideout being located.

Sure enough, I came up to the old, somewhat dilapidated old clock house to see a familiar-looking bronze-skinned female sizing up a mu with her oversized axe. She wore a tan-colored tube top and a light brown coat with a red bottom. Effortlessly, she cleaved the mu in two as she brought her axe back up and rested it on her shoulder.

"_Hunter Lani leads with 137 points!"_

"That's right!" the axe-wielder shouted. "Who's the best bounty hunter in the world?"

As the woman, Lani, was celebrating, a trio of trick sparrows flew out of the top of the Tantalus hideout and immediately got into swarming position. Seeing that she didn't notice them, I grabbed another pair of items from my coat.

"Mix! Flan Ooze, Elemental Wind!"

The vials of rancid liquid from the flan monsters I encountered in the Ice Cavern dissipated in my left hand as the energy sphere formed in my right.

"Arctic Breeze!"

A blast of frigid air, thanks to the Ice-based elemental liquid, rushed from my hand and struck the three trick sparrows hard, coating their wings in ice. The sparrows fell hard onto the cobblestone walkway, crushing their bones on the pavement and leaving them lifeless.

"_Hunter Cyrus leads with 141 points!"_

Lani, having watched my attack, put her hands on her hips. "I'll be damned! You're not half-bad! Cyrus, was it?"

"Yeah, I'm the guy who's winning this contest. You must be Lani."

Lani smirked. "You've heard of me. Not that I'm surprised…hell, when you look this good and kick as much ass as I do, word gets around."

"Or I put two and two together when they announced your name," I countered with a chuckle. "But don't get me wrong, I don't discount either your looks or your ability to kick ass."

"Ha ha! You're not bad at all, Cyrus. I might just have to buy you a drink with my winnings."

"Keep dreaming, sweetheart," I taunted as I ran past her. "But should a miracle happen, I'll take you up on the drink."

Lani laughed as she ran in the opposite direction, zapping a mu with a Thundara spell before disappearing around the corner. I headed for the theater where some play called "Moogle Wannabe 2" was being played, hoping some monsters were lurking around.

I ran down a flight of stairs as I heard another update: Zidane had taken the lead with 153 points. Knowing time was running out, I picked up speed as I headed for the theater.

Still, despite the pressing time limit and my own desire to win, what I saw made me laugh.

Standing on top of a barrel surrounded by three mus was a rather effeminate-looking man in a white and purple outfit. He was screaming like a five-year old girl as he tried to slap the mus away…weakly.

"Someone, help me! Lowell Bridges is too talented and too fabulously-handsome to die!"

I rolled my eyes as I rushed in, taking the mus down with quick slashes from Legacy. After the skirmish, Lowell got down from his barrel and kissed me on both cheeks.

"Oh, thank you, you most noble warrior! You've not only saved my life, but you've saved all of these uncultured rubes from having to live without my thespian stylings! Culture and good taste thanks you, my good sir!"

"Right…look, just get inside somewhere. After all, you wouldn't want your fans to cry themselves to death if you get eaten by a fang," I suggested, a bit uncomfortable with the flamboyant actor.

"True enough! Thank you again! And do come out to see 'Moogle Wannabe 2!'" Lowell called out as he ran off into the theater. I groaned as the master of ceremonies called out:

"_Master Vivi leads with 192 points!"_

"Damn! Now Vivi's getting ahead of me?" I shouted out loud as a fang tried to blindside me. I quickly took it down with a powerful blow from Legacy. "Got to get my ass in gear!"

Knowing now that I'd never be able to catch up slaying small-fry monsters, I decided that the only way I could win was to go after the big bad boss monster…and there was only one place large enough for it to be rampaging in.

I headed back up the stairs and past the Tantalus hideout until I reached the boulevard leading to the air cab depot. Once I reached the depot, I told the cabby to take me directly to the Business District. The driver nodded as he cranked up the engine and drove the cab quickly towards the last section of Lindblum City.

_**8:47 Remaining**_

The cab set down in the Business District just as Freya had retaken the lead with 226 points. Knowing that I had less than ten minutes to close the gap, I bolted out of the air cab depot and into a pair of mus. They were quickly cut down with Legacy's razor-sharp blade as the gore slid off. I quickened my pace as I ran through the streets, cutting down any monsters that got in my way.

I made it to a large bazaar in the Business District that connected Main Street with the cul-de-sac where Dragoos and Torres had their shops. I started to head for that cul-de-sac when I saw Vivi running away from a rather enraged fang. Vivi rushed right past me, scared out of his mind as I stepped between him and the fang and dropped Legacy's blade down on the fang. I was about to tell Vivi to stop, but he had already turned the corner. I sighed as I shouldered Legacy and started running.

I was in a full sprint when I ran into someone coming out of the alleyway. As fate would have it, it was Zidane, who was panting but otherwise in one piece.

"Cyrus! Heard your name announced a couple of times. How're you doing?"

"Fine, but not nearly good enough," I replied. "Last I heard, Freya was still in the lead."

Zidane nodded. "Yeah, I caught up to her before, but then she got back in front. She's really on fire. But I'm not giving up! I've got a date with Dagger at stake here!"

"So that's why you decided to compete," I said as I wiped some sweat from my brow. "You really do have a one-track mind, you know that?"

Zidane shot me an exasperated look. "Oh, give me a break, man. Dagger's just…"

"_Five minutes remaining!"_

Both Zidane and I had a look of panic on our faces, knowing that time was running out. We were about to sprint off in different directions until we heard screams.

"That's coming from Market Circle!" Zidane exclaimed.

"Near Dragoos's shop?" I asked as Zidane nodded. "Then let's move!"

Zidane and I rushed toward the cul-de-sac. After a minute, we reached Market Circle and found the source of the screams: a pair of kids who Zidane immediately recognized as Lucilla and Bunce, orphans taken in by Tantalus. They were being cornered by a massive red boar with man-length tusks and a blue mane that almost looked like a mohawk.

"Hey ugly!" Zidane shouted as he drew both halves of The Ogre. "Over here!"

The monster, hearing Zidane's taunts, turned its attention to us as it snorted and pawed the ground with its large hoof.

"A zaghnol…just our luck," I muttered as I shouldered Legacy.

Zidane motioned for the kids to get out of the streets as he dropped down into a battle stance. "It might be a bit tricky, just the two of us."

"Perhaps I might be of assistance," the familiar voice of Freya shouted from the rooftops. The dragon knight leapt down with ease as she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we faced down this mastodon.

"Fine, but I get to finish it off!" Zidane insisted. "After all, I'm not missing out on a date with Dagger!"

"Brazen as always," Freya said as she shook her head.

"How about we focus on not dying? Can we do that, please?" I suggested in a forceful tone as the zaghnol roared defiantly. Zidane combined his two daggers to form his thief sword, thinking that the extra leverage and striking power would be best for this battle as the zaghnol rushed us, looking to heave us with its tusks. Zidane and I managed to hold it off as Freya leapt up and, after somehow staying up there for a good ten seconds, dived down and drove her spear into the zaghnol's hide. The monster roared in anger as it thrashed and bucked, tossing Freya off. Zidane and I went in to slash the monster and managed to dig into its shoulders, but even our cuts were only flesh wounds to the thick-skinned beast as it tossed us aside with its tusks. Zidane landed near Freya while I ended up in the fountain.

"Damn! Ugly here's tough!" Zidane stated as he and Freya got to their feet. I struggled back to my feet, now fully soaked and fully pissed off. Just as we had gotten back into our stances, the zaghnol started to buck and grunt.

"What is it doing?" Freya asked as she readied herself for an attack. Her question was answered as the zaghnol's body started to teem with electricity. It then shot a powerful stream of Thunder magic at the three of us as we all had to dodge to avoid what could've been a critical attack.

"Son of a…that thing's started using Thundara!" I shouted. "We need to be careful when…"

"Time to show this porker who's the boss!" Zidane said as he recklessly rushed in again, this time hoping to out-quick the zaghnol. The thief managed to strike the zaghnol on its side, leaving a nasty gash. This enraged the monster as it struck Zidane with a counter Thundara spell, sending Zidane flying back. The tailed thief, despite being in obvious pain, still smirked as he downed a potion.

"_Two minutes remaining! Hunter Freya remains in the lead with 242 points!"_

Freya, smiling due to her lead, went for another leap to try and jab her spear into the beast's thick skull. However, when she leapt down, the zaghnol caught her with its tusks and heaved her back in the air. I grabbed a pair of trick sparrow wings from my coat seeing Freya tumble out of control.

"Freya! Ride this! Mix, Trick Sparrow Wings, Elemental Wind! Havoc Cyclone!"

The wings disappeared in my left hand as a green sphere rested in my right. I slammed the sphere into the ground as a large whirlwind appeared between me and the zaghnol. Freya, sensing the wind, used it to right herself in mid-air and rode it up to try her jump again. This time, Freya found her target as her spear was driven into the zaghnol's head. However, the monster's thick skull prevented Freya's spear from piercing its brain and only served to piss it off. The zaghnol shook its head violently as Freya was tossed off and onto the ground. It then went to stomp her with its hoof, but…

"Arcana Number 2!"

The zaghnol, before it could crush Freya, was struck by a massive sickle-shaped beam of energy. The attack sliced into the monster and sent it crashing to the ground, its howls indicating that it was in mortal pain.

"Spectral Reaver," I finished as I shouldered Legacy after unleashing my newest Arcana technique. Zidane and Freya, getting to their feet, saw that the zaghnol was vulnerable as they readied their weapons.

"All right! The big bastard's mine!" Zidane shouted as he rushed in, The Ogre held behind him and ready to strike.

"Not today, Zidane," Freya countered as she leapt in the air, aiming for the beast's eye. As for me, I simply stood by as I focused my energy…

I can't imagine what it looked like when I vanished into thin air, only to reappear next to the zaghnol with Legacy's blade dripping in blood after slitting its throat. All I know is that I was the one with the large smirk on my face as I announced:

"Arcana Number 3: Shadow Harvest."

"_3…2…1…Time's up!" _the loudspeaker shouted. _"And the winner is…Hunter Cyrus! With an astonishing 316 points!"_

_**(End Music)**_

Freya, a bit shocked at the outcome, nevertheless was a good sport and shook my hand in congratulations. Zidane, however, wasn't nearly as sportsmanlike.

"Aw, man! Cyrus, you couldn't just let me win?"

"Sorry buddy," I replied as exhaustion started catching up with me. I downed a potion and an ether as I continued, "I really wanted those books."

"Well, damn you anyway, Cyrus!" Zidane pouted before laughing. "Nah, just kidding. Congratulations. You really pulled it out in the end."

"_Would all participants in the Festival of the Hunt please return to the castle? Our soldiers will now round up all remaining monsters."_

"Guess we better go," I said as I sheathed Legacy and walked with Freya and Zidane to the air cab depot. We met up with Vivi (who had sought refuge in the depot after the incident with the fang) and congratulated him on doing so well and being so brave for the majority of the Hunt as the air cab flew in and whisked us away to the castle...

"That was marvelous, all of you!" Cid exclaimed as he hopped in his seat in excitement.

Our whole party was in the throne room as I stood before Cid and Artania. The others were on either side, all smiles as they congratulated me on my victory.

"316 points! A new Festival record!" Artania announced as he walked up to me. He handed me a small decorative shield with a very ornate archer engraved on its surface. "It is with great honor that, on behalf of Regent Cid Fabool, I present you with the title of Master Hunter."

"Thank you," I said as I accepted the award. "I will carry this title with pride."

"As you requested, our chief librarian has selected three books from the early years of the Golden Age of Alchemy. They contain a wealth of information…however, our scholars haven't been able to make much sense of it. Perhaps an alchemist's mind will be able to unlock their secrets."

A servant walked up and presented me a satchel containing the books. I slung the strap over my shoulder as I bowed once at Regent Cid, showing my appreciation. I then turned to face my friends.

"Well done, Cyrus," Freya said. "You certainly earned this victory."

I nodded slightly. "Thank you, Freya. Truth knows you didn't make it easy on me. Same goes for Zidane and Vivi."

Vivi simply chuckled as Zidane shot me a thumbs-up. "Well Cyrus, we ought to celebrate! Drinks at the Doom Café are on…"

"Regent…"

A weak, pained voice from behind us was pleading for the regent. We all turned and saw the source: a Burmecian soldier, limping and wounded. Freya, recognizing her countryman, ran over to keep him propped up as he continued to breathe heavily.

"Forgive my…intrusion…I bring urgent news from…from our king," the Burmecian soldier weakly said as he coughed up a bit of blood.

"The King of Burmecia?" Cid said as he hopped off his throne. As Artania started to protest, not wanting Cid to reveal himself, Cid snapped back, "Take a look at him…an injury has left him blind. Continue, soldier."

The soldier nodded as he coughed again. "Our kingdom…it's being attacked by an unknown force. We are…we are severely outmatched. Please…we request immediate reinforcements!"

Cid, hearing that war had come to Burmecia, had a look of genuine surprise and shock on his insect face as the soldier continued, "The enemy…it was an army of mages wearing…steeple-crowned hats…"

The soldier slumped in Freya's arms as I rushed to help her hold him up. As I held onto the Burmecian soldier, I saw out of the corner of my eye that Vivi was completely rattled by the news of the enemy. In spite of his youth, he knew exactly who the enemy was…and he was again questioning what that meant with regards to his own existence.

"Don't worry," Cid said reassuringly. "The king of Burmecia and I are old friends. We will send reinforcements as soon as possible."

"Thank you…Regent..." the soldier said as he started coughing violently. He spoke in-between coughs, "The king…and all of…Burmecia…will be most…grateful…"

The soldier's body immediately went completely limb as Cid ordered his aides to take the soldier to the infirmary. Freya shook her head as she and I set him down on the floor. "It's too late…he's dead. It's a miracle he even made it this far. I can't believe this is happening."

I shook my head in sadness as I closed the rat soldier's eyes. I then whispered an old Exile's prayer for the fallen: "Rest well, fellow traveler. May you find your peace at Journey's End."

Freya heard my prayer and silently thanked me as we stood to face Cid. I was the first to speak up. "We've got to do something about this."

"Indeed," Artania muttered as a pair of soldiers carried the fallen Burmecian out of the throne room. "Unfortunately, this couldn't have happened at a worse time. Because of the Festival, there are hardly any men left in the castle to mobilize. It would take time to organize a relief force."

"Then we have no other alternative," Cid stated as he hopped back onto his throne. "Call back the 4th Aerial Division patrolling the border."

"Sire, if we do that, we'll lose our eyes on Alexandria!" Artania insisted.

"GWOK! You think I don't know that?" Cid fired back as he calmed down. "But Burmecia is our ally. We must help them."

Freya, silent throughout this exchange, was deep in thought as she spoke up. "Steeple-crowned hats…perhaps they are black mages, like Vivi."

"It can't be…can it?" Vivi muttered, wringing his hands nervously.

Dagger was in shock as well, having witnessed the death of the soldier. "Could Mother be behind this?"

Freya, now renewed with determination, stood up straight as she looked Cid square in the eye. "I must go now. I cannot sit and wait for reinforcements."

"I'm coming with you," Zidane chimed in, an uncharacteristic serious look on his face.

Freya looked at Zidane with surprise. "You? But this doesn't concern you!"

"What, am I a stranger all of a sudden? I'm not gonna sit back and watch your home get destroyed, all right?"

Freya was about to say something else, but instead she nodded her head and said, "Thank you."

"Count me in, too," I said as I walked up to stand next to Zidane and Freya. "I'm not about to let good people die needlessly. My Road is clear…and it leads to Burmecia."

"You too, Cyrus?" Freya asked as I nodded. Freya nodded in turn as if to say "thanks."

"Um…can I come too?" Vivi finally said as he stood in front of us. "I wanna find out who those mages really are. Please?"

"Sure thing," Zidane said reassuringly as he patted Vivi on the shoulder.

"Then it's settled," Dagger chimed in. "Let's go to Burmecia."

"Princess, we cannot!" Steiner insisted. "This is a foreign matter! It has nothing to do with us!"

"Steiner is right, Garnet," Cid added. "We don't know if Alexandria is involved."

Dagger looked confused. "But…if black mages are involved…Zidane, you know what I'm talking about, right?" she asked the tailed thief.

Zidane was silent as Dagger continued to plead. "If Mother is behind this, I'll make her stop! I promise!"

Zidane looked a bit sullen as he set his gaze on the ceiling. "I think you should stay here."

"What? What are you saying?" Dagger implored.

"We don't know what to expect there. It could be extremely dangerous," Zidane explained.

"I've already faced great danger coming here! What's the difference?" Dagger insisted.

Zidane shook his head. "Dagger, you're not hearing me. This is war. A lot of people are going to die."

"I know that!" Dagger blurted out, almost sounding like a bratty little girl.

"Do you?" I simply stated beneath my breath.

Dagger turned her frustrated gaze at me. "You too, Cyrus?"

I sighed as I explained. "Do you truly understand war? Can you comprehend what combat does to the spirit of the soldier, of a nation? Have you ever seen what war does to the families of the fallen? You've faced danger, that much is true. But a few monsters and Black Waltzes are hardly the same as facing down the atrocities committed by soldiers in the name of one's kingdom. Sorry, princess…but you're far from ready to face that."

Zidane nodded as he added, "Tell me Dagger…how did you feel when you saw that Burmecian soldier die, just now?"

Dagger seemed a bit dumbfounded. "I felt sad, of course."

"Just sad? You didn't feel scared?" Zidane pressed. As Dagger hung her head, Zidane continued, "Obviously you haven't realized just how dangerous this is going to be. You could get killed! This isn't the time to be convincing your mother of anything."

Dagger was getting a bit choked up as she tried to say, "But…but…"

Cid finally spoke up to break the tension. "Enough. Now's not the time to argue."

"I agree," Freya added. "We must head for Burmecia at once. Will you open the Dragon's Gate?"

"Gwok…of course. If you're going by foot, leaving from the gate is the best way. But the gate's been sealed for years, gwok. It will take time to undo the seals. While we wait for the gate to open, why don't we have dinner?"

"Sounds good to me," I replied. "Hate to have to go back into the Mist on an empty stomach."

"Dinner is being prepared as we speak," Artania explained. "Please wait in your rooms until then. Once it's ready, I will send servants to escort you."

We all thanked Cid as we headed out of the throne room. Cid and Artania headed for a side chamber, obviously to discuss strategy. As I was leaving, I saw Dagger trailing behind, staring intently at a small burlap sack in her hands.

Knowing what she was planning, I turned and walked up to her. "How deep is your resolve, Dagger?"

"My…resolve?" Dagger asked as she held the bag behind her, trying in vain to hide it.

"Knowing what you know, how far are you planning on walking this path you're thinking of taking?" I explained. "There's no guarantee that things will work out and that your goals will be easily met, if at all. Are you still willing to walk that path?"

Dagger almost looked like she was about to deny any sort of plans, but she quickly figured out that I wasn't about to be fooled. Instead, she simply nodded as a determined expression was etched on her face.

"Then do what you will," I said as I started walking out. "There is only one Long and Winding Road, but there are an infinite number of paths to tread on it. We, all of us, must be willing to choose the path we feel must be taken. So walk your path…and be prepared for the consequences of your actions.

Dagger was silent as I headed out. However, just as I exited the throne room, I heard her quietly say:

"Thank you…"

_**New Mix Abilities:**_

_**Burning Squall-A whirlwind of searing hot embers surrounds Cyrus, burning anything it touches**_

_**Arctic Breeze-Below freezing winds rush towards enemies and coats them in mystic ice. Works better on flying enemies.**_

_**Havoc Cyclone-A powerful tornado swirls on the battlefield, striking enemies with Wind-elemental damage (also handy for lending dragon knights a hand in their aerial acrobatics)**_

_**New Arcana:**_

_**Spectral Reaver-Cyrus collects energy on his scythe's blade and sends it flying at his opponents. It's considered a ranged attack.**_

_**Shadow Harvest-Cyrus vanishes from the battlefield to land a critical strike on his opponent. This attack takes priority (meaning that if someone is already going in for an attack on the same enemy, it will always strike first)**_

**Author's Notes:**

**Man, I'm uploading so quickly again? IT MUST MEAN THAT THE WORLD'S COMING TO AN END!**

**Well, not really. I'm just working off momentum and really wanted to get this chapter out. I think it's actually one of my better ones, mixing action with my usual healthy doses of humor and epicness. I hope you all agree and enjoyed reading!**

**Special thanks as always go to my reviewers: David L.J.J. (AKA the artist formerly known as butcherthegirl), Volanaro, FF and STH, and NobodiesHiiro. Hmm, I seem to be missing a few people...oh well, I'm sure they'll review. And why haven't you reviewed?**

**Quit pointing at yourself, you know I'm talking to you. Oh what...did you say you were going to review? Really? Then why isn't your name on my "thank you" section? Huh? That's right, you don't have an excuse!**

**Nah, I'm just messing with you. But seriously...you should totally consider reviewing. It's lots of fun and people will think you're awesome!**

**Next time: From Mist to Muck**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	13. From Mist to Muck: Meeting the Qu

"Yay! I'm so hungry!" Vivi excitedly shouted.

We had all gathered around a very ornate table below the throne room. On that table was a veritable plethora of meats, bread, and various other feast-worthy dishes. Famished, I looked longingly at the food prepared by the castle's cooks with a ravenous demeanor…but I also noticed Dagger to my left, looking rather suspicious.

"Gwok-gwok!" Regent Cid blurted as he tapped his glass to get our attention. "The Festival of the Hunt Feast is one of our oldest traditions. It began well over five hundred years ago! It's customary to eat everything with your hands, so dig in before it gets cold."

"Don't mind if I do," I said as I grabbed a turkey leg and tore into it. Vivi grabbed some slices of beef from his plate as Steiner and Cid greedily started to devour the food in front of them.

Zidane, chewing on a piece of pork loin, turned to Freya, who hadn't touched a bite. "Hey, let's just eat. We can't do anything until the gate opens anyway."

"He's right, Freya," I said with a full mouth. I swallowed my food before continuing, "If we're going to war, we better eat while we can."

Freya sighed as she nodded. "You're right. Let's eat."

The dragon knight started to chew on some bread as Zidane voiced his approval of the meal. Steiner, finally taking a second to breathe as he wiped the crumbs and grizzle from his mouth, turned to look at Dagger. "Princess, how is everything? You have yet to touch your food."

Dagger, snapping back to the present, immediately replied, "Oh, I'm sorry! You're absolutely right. Everything looks delicious."

Dagger started to nibble on a stalk of celery as Steiner nodded. "Indeed. Especially the beef. It's simply superb!"

We all continued to eat our fill until Vivi backed away from the table, patting his stomach contently. "Oh, I'm so full. I'm getting really sleepy now…"

Vivi, his speech becoming more and more slurred due to drowsiness, stumbled back over to the table as his head met the table. The little black mage was out cold in a dead sleep, and he was soon joined in slumber as Freya and Cid zonked out. I, too, was starting to feel drowsy as I looked at Dagger, smiling.

"Walk your own path," I whispered as sleep quickly took me. The last thing I remember was hitting my knees on the hard castle floor and falling back as shadows came to claim my consciousness…

"_Young one…do you know what it means to bear the title of 'Exile?'" an old, wizened voice asked._

"_I do, Master…it means walking the Long and Winding Road!"a young, naïve child exclaimed._

_The old man chuckled as he rapped the child lightly on his head with his traveling cane. "That much is true…but being an Exile is so much more than that. Bearing that title means that you willingly accept the responsibility of questioning the world around you. Unlike those who simply drift in their existences, an Exile presses forward and seeks the Truth above all else. Even if that Truth is not pleasant…even if seeking it brings him great danger. An Exile will walk the Long and Winding Road and endure the consequences of his actions as he seeks to understand what so many would rather ignore."_

"_It sounds hard, Master."_

"_Indeed it is. The Long and Winding Road is perilous. There are many obstacles to overcome if one is to reach his rewards at Journey's End, and there are those who would try and stop you from seeking the Truth. Some mean no harm in trying to get you to stray from the path…but others aren't as ignorant. But remember this, young one…there is nothing in this life worth having that isn't hard to obtain. There is no such thing as fate or destiny…only one's resolve to achieve what no other man could achieve. That is the burden of the title of Exile…the burden of one who will defy convention and forge his own path, one that he decides must be taken and stays true to. The Exile will suffer for the sake of his beliefs and his pursuit of the Truth, and he will become strong enough to stand up to any challenge and break through any obstacle."_

_The child thought about it for a few seconds. "So that's what an Exile is…"_

"_There are not many of us left, and there may come a time when the Exiles are no more. But we still carry that title in trust for those who came before and those who may yet follow us on the Road. And we will continue to carry that title for as long as we are able…as will you should you choose this path…"_

I woke up a bit hazy, having dreamt an old memory.

"Damn it," I muttered as I got to my feet. Soon after, the rest of my cohorts awoken from their drug-induced slumber as Zidane, Freya, and Cid shook off the effects of the sleeping substance.

"What happened?" Cid voiced as he splashed his face with some water.

"Ugh…it must've been some kind of sleeping medicine," Freya suggested as she shook her head.

Zidane, now wide awake, slammed his fist into the table in frustration. "It was sleeping weed…I gave some to Dagger because she said she was having problems sleeping."

"She played us," I chimed in. "Guess there's more to our little princess than meets the eye."

"Damn it! What could she be thinking? Is she heading for Burmecia?" Zidane mused out loud.

"If so, you could still catch up with her," Cid offered.

Freya nodded. "Indeed. Let's head for Gizamaluke's Grotto. Once we pass through there, we'll be in Burmecia."

"Sounds like a plan," I said with a nod as I started to nudge Vivi awake. "Rise and shine, Vivi. We're heading for Burmecia."

"Hrmmm…" Vivi groaned as he woke up. "Ugh…what? Burmecia? Hey, the princess…"

"I'll explain on the way," Zidane said as he started getting antsy. "Come on! Let's get moving!"

"Just one second," Cid insisted as he leapt down from the table and reached behind his throne. In one hand, he held a ring made of what looked like coral, and in the other was a small coin purse.

"These were the hunter rewards that you and Freya requested," Cid said as he handed the items to Zidane. "If you're heading back into the Mist and towards Burmecia, I have a feeling you'll need them."

"Thanks!" Zidane said as he tied the coin purse to his belt. Freya took the coral ring and slid it on her finger, nodding her head in appreciation to the regent.

"All right, then. We'd best get going," I stated. "We've got a long way to go before we reach Gizamaluke's Grotto."

Cid nodded. "The Dragon's Gate should be unsealed by now. Take the lift down to the Base Level and ride the tram on your right to reach the Dragon's Gate."

We all nodded as we left the dining hall and headed towards the lift, almost running to keep up with Zidane. Once we reached the lift, our group's unofficial leader flipped the level and sent us and the lift down to the Base Level. When we reached the bottom, we took the tram heading for the Dragon's Gate and let it carry us to our next journey's starting doorstep.

A merchant next to the Dragon's Gate sold us various items and other camping supplies as we all took the chance to stock up. Once fully equipped, our party of four stepped out of Lindblum and back into the Mist. Not particularly thrilled to be back in the malevolent haze, I nevertheless stowed my displeasure as Zidane and Freya took point, followed closely by myself and Vivi.

Monsters on this section of the Mist Continent were a bit stronger than the goblins and pythons we had faced off with previous. The feral ladybugs, hedgehog pies, and serpions all provided a decent challenge, but between our weapons skills and Vivi's black magic, the monsters all went down without much of a threat. As usual, I harvested whatever items I felt would be good for future alchemical combinations as we continued trudging through the fog.

After several hours of walking, our party managed to find some marshland. The ground beneath us was soggy and deep as we struggled mightily to make any progress through the mire. I ended up having to carry Vivi on my shoulders (as the diminutive mage would've never been able to make it through with his short legs) as we headed deeper into the marsh.

We were trudging through the swamp for a good hour (and fending off the axolotls and the gigan toads that called the marsh home) until we finally reached some dry land. We saw signs of civilization as, in addition to a couple of signs written in a very bizarre language, we discovered that someone had built a series of planks and walkways to make it easier to traverse the marsh.

"Hmm…I wonder who lives here," Zidane mused as he looked at the sign.

I chuckled. "Maybe they can tell us where Gizamaluke's Grotto is."

Zidane looked at me with a confused look. "You saying that I don't know where we're going?"

"Not saying that at all," I replied. "But the folks who live here probably know the area better than anyone. With the Mist as thick as it is, we could very well miss it if we don't have a guide."

"Cyrus has a point, Zidane," Freya added. "I've only been to Gizamaluke's Grotto a handful of times, and even then I've never tried to enter it from this side of the mountains before."

"Hmm…" Zidane pondered. "Well, I guess it can't hurt to say hello to the locals. Let's see if we can find someone."

We all nodded in agreement as we followed the planks deeper into the marsh. It was tricky to navigate the rickety walkways, but it was far easier than trying to trudge through the mud. Zidane and Freya nimbly made it through with little trouble, as I helped Vivi make it through. When we finally reached dry land again, we were greeted by a pair of moogles, one very young one and one that was about the same age as the others we had come across. He had a very worldly look about him as he looked up at us.

"Hey, what's up? We don't get many visitors out this way," the older moogle explained.

"We're traveling to Gizamaluke's Grotto, on our way to Burmecia," I said as I knelt down to his level.

"Why are you here then?" the moogle replied. "Trudging through this marsh is the long route to the Grotto. If you wanted to make it there in good time, you'd have been better off going around."

"Is that so?" I said as I shot Zidane a smirk. "Well, we wanted to ask if anybody would be able to tell us exactly where to go from here. A lot's been happening in Burmecia and we…"

The moogle raised its paw. "No need to explain. There isn't a thing that happens on the Mist Continent that Mogster doesn't know something about."

"That's right!" the younger moogle chimed in. "My bro knows a whole lot!"

"Yeah…" Mogster added before explaining, "Well, the Grotto's to the northeast, if I remember. I'm not exactly sure how to get there from here, but maybe one of the Qus does."

"The Qus?" Vivi spoke up, his interest peaked.

Mogster nodded. "They live past the tall grass. The master's a guy by the name of Quale, so you'd probably want to ask him."

"Right, thanks!" Zidane said as he looked out at the tall grass. It was taller than any of us by a good foot or more, making it impossible to see what was on the other side. Zidane stared at it for several silent seconds before looking back at me, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked before it dawned on me. "Oh, hell no!"

"Come on, Cyrus! You're the best equipped for this!"

"No way! I'm not going to use Legacy to cut down the brush!" I insisted. "Legacy's a weapon, a piece of alchemical history! It's not a gardening tool!"

Zidane countered, "But Cyrus, if you don't slice the grass down, we could get lost in there! Come on, man…we're wasting time!"

I was about to argue some more until I looked and saw Freya looking very sullen. Knowing that she was in a hurry to reach Burmecia and help fend off the threat to her home, I relented.

"…Fine. But I'm only doing this to help get to Burmecia. Stand back."

Zidane nodded as he, Freya, and Vivi got out of my way as I unsheathed Legacy. With one quick slash, my scythe sliced through a patch of the tall grass. Wasting little time and motion, I turned Legacy's blade to the opposite direction and slashed from the other direction, again cutting down some grass. I continued to slash and clear out the grass as Zidane, Freya, and Vivi followed behind.

After several minutes of wandering through the brush, Legacy had finally cut a path to another clearing. I shouldered my scythe as I examined this new area: a murky pond with a small bridge over it. The pond was full of rather large frogs, all croaking loudly as they rested on lilypads. On the other side of the pond was a rather massive, blue-skinned humanoid wearing a large pink overcoat over a white apron. A light blue handkerchief was tied around this stranger's neck as its tongue, as long as its body, hung down from its mouth. The humanoid wore a large white chef's hat on its head and a blank, expressionless stare on its face. Its gaze was focused on a large bullfrog on the side of the pond. In what can only be described as hilariously-epic fail, the humanoid ran after the frog and fell flat on its face as the frog jumped away unscathed.

I rolled my eyes as Zidane walked over the bridge and talked to the humanoid. "Hey, buddy…we're looking for a Qu named Quale. Have you seen him?"

"Hrgh…so hungry…" the humanoid, obviously a member of the Qu Clan, muttered as it stared at the frogs with a ravenous demeanor.

"Hey, hey!" Zidane shouted. "Come on! We need to speak to Quale!"

I sighed. "Hey, Zidane…you're going about this the wrong way."

Zidane looked confused as I knelt down and dug up a couple of mealworms from the ground. I piled the grubs up as one of the frogs took notice of the veritable bug buffet and decided to hop up for a bite. Quickly, I grabbed the frog before it could jump away and held onto it, a tough task considering how slippery the amphibian was.

"Oooh! Oooh!" the Qu shouted as s/he blasted past Zidane and over the bridge. S/he hopped up and down like an over-excited cocker spaniel as his/her gaze never left the frog in my hand.

"You caught frog! Frogs very good! Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!"

Calmly, I asked, "You like frogs? Okay…first tell me your name and you can have this frog."

"Me? I called Quina! Quina Quen of Qu Clan! Now I have frog?" the Qu, Quina pleaded.

I nodded as I handed the frog over to Quina as the Qu greedily shoved it into his/her massive mouth and swallowed it whole. Quina, overjoyed, began jumping up and down until…

"You pathetic, Quina! Can't even feed yourself!"

A stern, male voice shouted from the brush as another Qu emerged. This Qu wore a larger chef's hat than Quina, and wore a white coat lined with red trim. The Qu shook his finger disapprovingly at Quina as Freya walked up to meet the newcomer.

"Pardon me…might you be Quale, the Qu Master?" Freya asked.

"Hrm? Yes, I Quale!" the Qu replied in a somewhat annoyed tone. "Who asking?"

"My name is Freya. My friends and I are traveling to Burmecia, but we seem to have lost our way a bit. We were wondering if…"

"Hey, friend! Good friend! You have more frogs?" Quina interjected, sniffing at me in his/her attempt to find more frogs.

"QUINA! You stop now! Go to cabin!" Quale roared as he headed back into the brush. Quina, obviously embarrassed, slowly followed behind. The rest of us were left wondering what the heck just happened as Zidane finally spoke up:

"So…should we follow them?"

"I suppose," Freya replied, sounding somewhat unsure. "They seem rather strange, but they may know which way we should head."

"We'd better hurry up," Vivi added. "They're getting pretty far now."

Zidane nodded as he looked over at me again, with the same look he had when he asked me to clear a path. I sighed as I took Legacy in my left hand and walked over the bridge. And just like before, I used my scythe to cut down the brush and clear a path in the direction that Quale and Quina had taken, followed by my party members.

After slicing for a good five minutes, I finally cut through and found Quale's cabin. It looked as if it had been built with pieces of scrap lumber that the Qu had managed to salvage in the swamp over the years, but it did look sturdy enough to endure the rigors of marshland living. It was built off the swamp floor several feet and had a flight of stairs leading to its door. I sheathed Legacy as Zidane stepped out in front and led us up the makeshift staircase. The door was cracked open as we listened in:

"Can't master art of eating just chasing frogs, Quina!"

"But Master! Frogs very good! Frogs here best, even better than frogs in Alexandria!"

"Hrm…you in darkness, Quina. Need some light. World big place. Many, many foods. Alexandria just one kingdom. You need go out more, eat other food."

"Go out into world? Sound scary. You sure there yummier frogs outside?"

"Of course! Many, many good frogs! All Qus love frogs best. Eating frogs is key to growth. Qu marshes exist all over world. Go eat frogs in other marshes…I promise, you get much learning. But…can't go alone. Need others to go with…"

It was at that point that Zidane, having leaned in to listen to the whole conversation, accidentally tripped and fell into Quale's cabin. The Qu Master, somewhat surprised by Zidane's appearance, suddenly had a realization.

"You! Tail-boy! You world traveler?"

Zidane got back to his feet and brushed himself off. "Who, me?"

"Yes! You traveler! I have favor to ask. Want you to take apprentice with you into world. Anywhere with good food."

"You want us to take him…or her…with us?" Zidane asked as he pointed at Quina. "But, we only wanted directions to Gizamaluke's Grotto."

"Grotto?" Quina asked. "Is grotto delicious dish?"

Both Zidane and Quale face-palmed as the Qu Master said, "You talking about cave to Burmecia? Quina knows way. Quina take you there if you take Quina with you."

"It seems we're at a bit of an impasse, Zidane," Freya stated.

I shrugged. "We're really over the barrel here, monkey-boy. We don't really have a choice in the matter, especially if we want to make it through the Mist with any sort of urgency."

Zidane sighed as he relented. "Sure. We'll take your student with us."

Quina looked at Zidane curiously. "You take me out into world? Will I find yummier frogs outside?"

"There are plenty of tastier things in the world than frogs," Zidane replied.

"Really really? Okay, I go with you! I go and pack things now!" Quina said, anticipation thick in the Qu's voice as s/he ran past Zidane and out the door, past the rest of our party. Zidane sighed as if to ask himself "What have I gotten myself into?" as he headed out of the cabin, followed by Freya. I was about to follow suit when I saw Vivi staring at the Qu Master, who had taken a seat at the back of his cabin.

"Something the matter?" I asked the black mage.

"Um, that man looks exactly like my grandpa," Vivi responded.

"Quale? Wait, then your grandpa was a Qu?"

Vivi nodded. "Maybe he knows Grandpa. I'm going to ask him."

"I'm right behind you," I replied as Vivi and I walked into the cabin. Vivi shuffled up to face Quale as he started wringing his hands nervously.

"What wrong? Something on my face?" Quale asked as he stirred something in a pot on top of a nearby stove.

"Um…" Vivi stuttered before asking, "Do you know a man named Quan?"

Quale, hearing the name of Vivi's grandfather, immediately dropped the spoon he was using to stir his food with. "I not know that bigot!"

"Bigot?" Vivi asked, confused. "Well, I guess Grandpa Quan was a bit strange. But, how do you know him?"

"I-I-I…I no can answer," Quan stammered, failing miserably to hide the Truth.

Vivi, not buying it anymore than I was, added, "Grandpa Quan looked exactly like you, Mr. Quale."

"Of course! We from same tribe," Quale blurted, realizing too late that he had said that. He quickly tried to cover it up by continuing, "Er, I mean…that what I heard."

"You're lying," I finally spoke up. "Come on, just answer the kid's questions."

"No! I not know this Quan!" the Qu said in a rage, shaking his fists in the air. I rolled my eyes as I said, "Fine, whatever. Sorry, Vivi, but this guy's not going to tell us anything about your grandpa. We should probably go…the others are waiting."

"Oh…okay," Vivi muttered as he took one last glance at Quan before following me out of the cabin. After getting to the bottom of the stairs, we saw Zidane, Freya, and Quina looking at us, Quina all packed up and ready to go with his/her combat fork in her hand.

"Hey, what took you guys so long?" Zidane asked. "Did you forget something?"

Vivi was silently looking for an answer when I replied, "Oh, it's nothing. Vivi just thought he saw something in Quale's cabin that looked familiar. Turned out to be nothing. Anyway, we ready to go?"

Freya nodded as she turned to Quina. "Can you take us to Gizamaluke's Grotto? The cave that leads to Burmecia?"

Quina thought it over for a minute before replying, "Oh! Cave to Burmecia! I know way! You follow, yes!"

With that, Quina took the lead alongside Freya as we followed the pair down a well-worn path. Quina continued to sniff the air as the Qu led us through the Qu's Marsh and back onto the plains themselves.

"Finally! Dry land…man, I hate swamps," I replied as we got a good hundred yards away from the edge of the marsh.

"Swamps good!" Quina argued. "Swamps got frogs! Frogs yummy!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not that big a fan of frogs or swamps," I shot back. "But whatever…to each their own."

"All right, all right!" Zidane interjected as he turned to Quina. "Quina, we need to get to Gizamaluke's Grotto. Which way should we go?"

"Hrm…I think…that way!" Quina exclaimed as the Qu pointed towards the north. We all nodded as we secured our gear.

But, before we could take a single step, we heard something cackling from all directions in the Mist. We quickly huddled up, not sure what was going on. Everyone had their hands on their weapons as I grabbed a bomb fragment and trick sparrow wing from my coat pocket. I quickly mixed them with Elemental Fire and turned them into energy in my right hand.

"Burning Squall!"

The same ring of flames that I produced during the Festival of the Hunt reappeared as the mystical fire started to clear some of the Mist from our location. Out in the Mist, the fires revealed the shadows of a number of human-like figures flitting about as the cackling continued. Finally, as the flames started to die out, one of the figures emerged from the Mist and stood before us.

It was a green-skinned humanoid wearing a bronze helmet with a large red plume. It also wore a open white shirt, a pair of baggy blue pants, and a brown backpack. The creature's hands and feet resembled avian claws and talons as it carried a large, curved blade. This new foe cackled as he spoke:

"Stay right where you are, if you value your lives! You've just crossed into the territory of the Eunorus Vices!"

"Eunorus Vices?" I mused. "Never heard of you."

"There's a very good reason for that, pale-skin. Travelers are few in the Mist, and those who have the misfortune of crossing us Vices are buried, dead and gone! Now, hand over your valuables, or we will be forced to take them from you. And believe me when I say that we'll take our sweet, sweet time carving you up. After all, it's been a long time since my brothers and I have had humans or a Burmecian for dinner!"

Freya pointed her spear at the Vice. "You'll find that we're not so easily overcome, monster."

"That so?" the Vice snickered as he snapped his fingers and the other members of his gang appeared from the haze, carrying similar-knives. The Vices snarled at our party, flashing sinister grins as they readied themselves to attack.

"Come, brothers…it's time to show these fools what happens to those who dare descend into the Mist!"

_**(Play "Hurry" from the Final Fantasy X OST)**_

The Vices struck first as two of them rushed towards Zidane, who blocked their knives with the separated halves of The Ogre. Vivi took the chance to cast Blizzards at the thieving monsters, forcing them to retreat. The Vices retaliated by using their own magic as they sent two Fire spells rocketing towards our party.

"Aqua Breath!"

To our surprise, Quina started to glow in magical energy as the Qu unleashed a powerful stream of water. The water collided with the Fire spells, dowsing them and striking the two Vices. The magical waters surrounded the Vices and drowned them.

"I'll be damned," I muttered, impressed with the seemingly slow-witted Qu's resourcefulness as Freya and I turned to face a trio of Vices, all of them swaying back and forth while cackling in an attempt to intimidate us.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

Freya and I quickly lunged at the Vices, each of us managing to strike one down. The third Vice, enraged, managed to land a glancing strike on Freya; unfortunately, it didn't do a whole lot of good.

Freya smirked as she shouted, "Lancer!" In a flash, Freya drove her spear right into the heart of the Vice as energy flowed from the slain enemy to Freya, healing the wound she had just received.

The Vice leader, now fully aware that this wasn't just another snatch-and-grab job, let loose a screech as if to tell the rest of his gang to form up. Sure enough, the remaining Vices gathered around their commander, opting for a combined effort against us rather than quick strikes.

"You scum! I won't forgive what you've done to my brothers! Oh, I will take great pleasure in gutting you like a fish!"

"You talk much!" Quina spoke up as s/he pointed his/her fork at the Vices. "I cook you up real good!"

"_Wow, where'd this confidence come from?" _I wondered to myself as I grabbed a pair of items from my coat.

"Mix! Serpion Venom and Mu Stone, Elemental Earth! Terrestrial Bane!"

The items dematerialized in my left as I slammed the energy sphere that appeared in my right into the ground. The Vices all looked confused as sharp black needles shot up from the ground and pierced them. When they vanished, the Vices looked even more confused when they checked themselves and found that the attack left no visible wounds.

The Vice leader started to raucously laugh as his gang followed suit. "What was that? You think cheap tricks like that will get us to run in fear? We're Vices! We're the terrors of the Mist!"

Their laughing was quickly halted by Zidane, Freya, and Quina launching another attack, forcing them to leap back. As the Vices huddled together again, they started clutching their chests in agony.

"You think I'd use cheap parlor tricks? Don't insult me. Granted, that attack didn't do any direct damage, but it did pump you full of enough toxins and poisons to put you down and out. But just in case…"

I nodded once at Vivi as he pointed his staff at the Vices. In response, I grabbed a pair of bomb fragments.

"Fire!"

"Blaze Cannon!"

Our Fire-based attacks combined as they struck the remaining members of the Vice gang, torching them alive. The Vices all screamed in agony as the flames consumed them…all but one.

The Vice leader, coughing up blood and ash, was lying down, staying alive only by hanging onto his anger. Freya was about to finish the Vice off when Quina started sniffing.

"Something…something smells good! I smell yummy-yummy!"

Quina ran past Freya as the Qu stood before the roasted Vice. A look of gluttonous desire crossed the lips of Quina as his/her tongue started salivating.

"Wh…what are you…no, please…NO!"

The Vice's pleas fell on deaf ears as Quina took his/her fork and used it to scoop the Vice up. Quina held the Vice up as, from out of nowhere, various cutlery implements surrounded the monster. The would-be bandit was turned into pure energy as Quina swallow the energy sphere whole.

"Hrmm…mmm! Tastes good!"

_**(End Music)**_

Everyone stared at Quina for several seconds in disbelief after the Qu had devoured the Vice. Quina looked at us as if nothing happened. "Why you stare?"

"Quina…you just ATE that monster!" Zidane explained, still in shock.

"So? I do what I want!" Quina insisted. "We Qu use blue magic! Qu eat monsters, learn their abilities. You have problem?"

"No, no!" I interjected. "It's fine. We've just never seen a Qu learn new blue magic before. There's no problem, right?"

Everyone slowly nodded as they got over their initial shock of watching Quina's bizarre ability. Freya spoke up afterwards, saying, "So Quina…where again should we head to reach Gizamaluke's Grotto?"

Quina sniffed the air, letting his/her nose do the guiding. However, instead of pointing us in the direction of the Grotto, something else in the air caught Quina's attention.

"I smell…I smell tasties! Yummy-yummies! Must find yummies!"

Quina broke into a dead run after the source of the smell. Knowing full well that Quina was going the wrong way, Zidane tried to stop the voracious gourmand, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Damn it! We need that Qu to guide us to Gizamaluke's Grotto! Zidane, we must go after Quina!" Freya shouted.

Zidane nodded as we all ran after Quina, shouting at the Qu to stop. As annoying as this whole situation was, I had to smirk at the antics of our new comrade. Still, the pressing threat against the kingdom of Burmecia was still in my thoughts as we chased after our newest friend in the thick haze of the Mist…

_**New Mix Combinations:**_

_**Terrestrial Bane: Sharp spikes strike all enemies from the ground, poisoning them.**_

**Author's Notes:**

**The introduction of Quina...always good for a laugh, right? When thinking of how to get from Lindblum to Gizamaluke's Grotto, I wanted to include some of the side stuff that you could do in-between. I can only hope that the plan I'm going with is entertaining to all of my loyal minions…wait, did I say minions? I meant READERS! Yes, readers…not minions…**

**There's a few min…er, readers I need to thank for reviewing: David L.J.J., FF and STH, Ranchdressing, The Duelist of Dawn, Volanaro, ExtremeuGamer, NobodiesHiiro, and my newest reviewer Shadow knight1121. Thanks as always, guys…your emperor is pleased…wait, forget I said that!**

**So yeah, if you wish to join the Legion of Awesome and not some crazy man's attempt at building an army to take over the world of FanFiction, then leave a review! Seriously, this isn't a recruitment drive for my eventual uprising. You can trust me!**

**Next time: Never Trust a Qu with Directions**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

"**The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	14. Never Trust a Qu with Directions

"Quina? Where are you?"

"C'mon, Quina, stop fooling around! We need to get to Gizamaluke's Grotto!"

Zidane and Freya were shouting as we tried to pin down our newest friend after s/he had run off on a gluttonous impulse. Vivi and I kept our eyes peeled for Quina, but it was hard to see anything in the thick Mist. We had been searching for a good hour, only going on tracks in the ground and the occasional shadow.

The fact that Quina had left our party also made it much more difficult to fend off the monsters in the area, as we ran across much tougher foes in the living plants called "mandragoras" and ironites, brutal lesser dragons who utilized both lightning magic and flame breath. Thanks to Freya's experience fighting dragons and solid group tactics, the ironites weren't nearly as threatening as they could have been. Combined with my Arcana and Vivi's Fire spell making it easier to cut through the mandragoras, our party of four managed to slay anything that got in our way. Still, we were all pretty exhausted as we came across a river. Figuring that we needed the rest, Zidane suggested we take a break as we took a seat on the riverbank.

"For the love of the Truth," I muttered as I took out a whetstone and sharpened Legacy's blade. "Where could that damn Qu be?"

Freya sighed as she rubbed her temples. "This isn't getting us closer to Burmecia. We need to find Quina quickly. Time is of the essence."

"Um…guys?" Vivi spoke up. "I think I see something on the other side of the river."

Curious, we all looked over the river as some of the Mist started clearing up. To our relief, we saw Quina on the opposite riverbank. The Qu was hunched over and breathing heavily, a sure sign that the gourmand was exhausted from chasing his/her quarry. As the Mist started to clear just a bit more, we saw just what Quina was trying to have for lunch.

It was a large, yellow-feathered avian pecking on the ground. The bird's beak looked very sharp and pointed and its legs looked like they were built for running at breakneck speeds. And though we couldn't make it out very well, it almost seemed like there was something riding on the bird…something small, like a child.

"That's a chocobo!" Zidane exclaimed. "So that's what Quina was chasing after. Damn, Quina must be faster than I thought to be able to keep up with a chocobo…"

Quina, having finally caught his/her breath, crept ever so carefully up to the chocobo, who apparently was unaware that it was being hunted. However, when Quina charged in with his/her fork, the chocobo sidestepped and tripped Quina with its leg. The chocobo warbled as if it was laughing as it charged deeper into the Mist, leaving Quina in its dust.

Needless to say, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, Quina!" Zidane shouted as the Qu sat up. "What do you think you were doing?"

"Zidane! Where you go?" Quina shouted back. "Me smell yummy-yummy, but you no follow!"

"Just stay right where you are!" Freya ordered. "We'll be over there shortly!"

"Okay! I stay!" Quina acknowledged. "If you see yummy-yummy, bring over here! I starving!"

We all rolled our eyes as we headed down the river, hoping to find a crossing point. After several minutes of sprinting, we managed to find a man-made bridge. Confused, but not about to question our good fortune, we ran across the bridge and headed back up the river. Finally, we were reunited with our Qu companion.

"What were you thinking, running off like that?" I asked Quina.

Quina shrugged. "I need travel world, eat many tasty things! Chocobo very tasty, very rare to find in wild. So when I smell chocobo, I run! But chocobo too fast…I no can catch."

"Damn it Quina! You just can't run off like that! We need to stay together if we want to get anywhere in one piece. What if you had run into a pack of mandragoras, or a couple of ironites?" Zidane insisted.

Quina hung his/her head low as s/he muttered. "I no think of that. I sorry."

Freya sighed as she walked up to the Qu. "It's all right. But we've lost a lot of time. We need to get to Gizamaluke's Grotto. Do you know the way?"

Quina perked up and nodded. "Yes! I know way! Over river, past hill! I think big roots in ground lead to Burmecia cave."

"Thank you," Freya said as she looked out towards the western horizon. In spite of the Mist, she could see the sun starting to set beyond the mountains. "…It's getting late. As much as I hate to, we should probably find someplace to set up camp for the night."

"Freya…" I muttered before speaking up. "Yeah, it's probably best. We've had a long day, and we'll need all the energy we can get for when we reach Burmecia. But I hate camping out in the open like this…"

"No kidding," Zidane agreed as he looked around him. His keen eyesight caught something as he pointed northeast. "I think I see a forest off that-a-way. Seems as good a place as any out here to set up for the night."

"Maybe we find tasties in forest!" Quina exclaimed. "I cook for friends tonight!"

I chuckled as I secured Legacy to my back as Zidane led our party in the direction of the forest he had spotted. Thankfully, the monsters remained at bay as we trudged through the Mist to where we hoped a safe-enough haven would be waiting.

* * *

We had managed to reach the forest before nightfall, no worse for wear but still exhausted from the events of the day. Zidane led us into the thicket as we all remained on guard, in case some monsters decided to come out and use us for chew-toys.

However, to our incredible surprise, the forest we found ourselves in was far different from the others we had come across. This forest was calm and peaceful, and there were no traces of any monsters whatsoever. In addition, this forest seemed to be enchanted, as several plants in the surrounding brush let off a soothing light. We all were awestruck by the sight as we walked through the woods to a clearing in the center.

To our surprise, we found that the forest was already inhabited.

Running around was a rather energetic chocobo with a very enthusiastic moogle riding on its back. The two of them seemed to be enjoying themselves as the chocobo sprinted over to us. However, when it saw us, the avian put the brakes on and came to a dead stop, sending the moogle flying forward into Quina with the momentum.

"Aiyee! What this?" Quina shouted as the moogle got back to its feet.

"Who are…KUPOPOPO! You're the one who was chasing after us on the King Ed Plains, kupo!" the moogle exclaimed accusingly.

Quina shook his/her head. "No, I chase chocobo. I no chase moogle."

"Yeah, that was Choco you were chasing, you dunderhead…and I was riding him!" the moogle insisted. "And you were trying to eat us!"

Finally, Zidane stepped in to play moderator. "All right, calm down everyone. Look, I'm sorry that Quina chased after you earlier. Quina can be pretty impulsive at times. Listen, let's start fresh. My name's Zidane."

"Freya," the dragon knight simply stated.

"I'm Vivi," our young mage friend added.

"And I'm Cyrus Truth," I finished.

"You've already met Quina," Zidane said with a glance back at the Qu. He turned back to the moogle as he asked, "So, what's your name?"

"Kupo…my name's Mene, kupo! My friend here is Choco! This is our forest…Chocobo's Forest!" the moogle proudly explained. "You seem like nice people, kupo. Much nicer than last people who came through here."

"Others?" Zidane asked, his interest piqued. "Was it a pretty girl?"

Mene shook his head. "No. It was ugly girl, kupo."

Zidane sighed, his hopes of finding a lead on Dagger's whereabouts dashed. "Oh, I see. Damn, is she really heading for Burmecia?"

"Kupo…are you in a hurry to get somewhere?"

"In a way," Freya explained. "We were trying to reach Gizamaluke's Grotto, but we got a bit lost in the Mist. And with it getting late, we were looking for a place to camp for the night."

"That's pretty wise, kupo," Mene agreed. "Monsters are pretty tough when you can see them. Much more dangerous when you can't see them at night. Well, you are welcome to stay here with us, kupo. But…"

Mene turned his gaze over to Quina. "Don't try to eat Choco anymore. Okay, kupo?"

"Kweh! Kweh!" the chocobo, Choco warbled in agreement.

"Okay, I no cook chocobo. Promise!" Quina agreed as s/he nodded his/her head. "But…you have other yummy-yummies?"

Mene shook his head. "Nothing you would like, kupo. The only thing that grows out here are gysahl greens. Choco loves them, but humans think they're too bitter, kupo."

"Hrmm…" Quina grumbled, obviously unhappy. "Fine! I go out, find yummy-yummies myself!"

"Quina…" Zidane groaned as he rolled his eyes. The Qu, however, wasn't hearing it as s/he headed out of the clearing.

I chuckled as I spoke up, "Don't worry, Zidane. I'll run after Quina. Hopefully we can find something to bring back for dinner."

"Wait!" Mene interjected. "You should take Choco with you. Choco's very fast and knows how to get back home. Keep Choco around and you won't get lost, kupo!"

I shrugged as I looked at the chocobo, who tilted his head quizzically at me. A few seconds later, Choco walked up and nodded at me as if to say that he'd be willing to come with me. Zidane looked at all of this and nodded in agreement.

"All right, but be careful. And make sure Quina keeps out of trouble."

"Relax, Zidane," I assured the thief. "It's just going out to hunt up some grub. How much trouble can we possibly get into?"

* * *

"AIYEE! Dragon scary!"

"KWEH!"

By means unknown to me at the time, Quina and Choco had somehow managed to disturb what was obviously the nest of a very large and very ornery ironite, which now had been chasing us for a good three minutes all over the plains. I wanted to stand and fight, but Quina and Choco were too spooked to get their composure. And since I wasn't bold enough to take on an ironite by myself, I had no choice but to run my ass off myself. Eventually, our trio managed to find what looked like an alcove and hide in some of the nearby foliage. We all held our heads down as the ironite circled around for a few minutes before flying off elsewhere. I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked out and faced Quina.

"Okay, Quina…please explain to me how we ended up getting chased by a giant ironite. I told you that was an obvious monster den…"

"But I smelled tasties!" Quina insisted as s/he rummaged through his/her backpack. "I find these in nest!"

The Qu pulled out several very large eggs from his/her pack. "Eggs laying in nest. I make tasty dish from eggs for Zidane and others."

"Kweh…" Choco muttered as he shook his head. If he could, I'm sure that the chocobo would've face-palmed.

"Quina, I understand that as a Qu, you don't have much in the way of restraint," I said in as calm a tone as I could muster (which admittedly wasn't much). "But the next time you want to go scavenging in a monster's nest, you might want to make sure that THE MOTHER OR FATHER'S NOT THERE!"

Quina looked at me with a blank stare for a very awkward couple of seconds before asking, "You need hug?"

The Qu outstretched his/her arms as I hung my head in exasperation. Still, a part of me almost wanted to chuckle at Quina's genuine and honest attempt to make me feel better. "No, Quina…I don't need a hug. I guess I should be grateful that we at least got the eggs without getting our asses burnt by that ironite. We should…wait a minute, where are we?"

Quina, Choco, and I finally took the chance to examine our surroundings. To our shock, we saw what looked like a massive gate shrouded by overgrown vines and brush. Off a ways from the gate was a spring with clear, running water.

"Quina, Choco? I think we ran all the way to South Gate."

"South Gate?" Quina inquired. "South Gate got good food! Bundt cake delicious!"

I shook my head. "No, Quina…the bundt cake is only at the Summit Station. And last I heard, this gate here is completely wrecked. So we're not going to be having any cake tonight."

"Oh…" Quina muttered as s/he hung his/her head low. I sighed as I noticed Choco clawing at the ground near the spring. I walked over to see what Choco was digging at.

"Kweh!" the chocobo cried out as he backed away to let me take a look at it. To my surprise, Choco had found a patch of coffee beans on the vine. I used the dagger that Zidane had lent me back at the Ice Cavern to harvest the coffee beans.

"_That's right!" _I suddenly remembered. _"This is where you get Moccha Coffee in the game. Well, isn't that fortuitous…"_

I smirked as I put the coffee beans in a spare burlap bag and pocketed them along with the Burman Coffee I had procured in Dali. I then took a quick drink from the spring and felt myself become revitalized as I saw Quina digging at the ground for what s/he later explained was for spices and fixings.

After we had all gotten our strength back, I asked Choco to lead us back to Chocobo's Forest. With a cheery "kweh," Choco led the way back out of the alcove and onto the plains. However, our trip home was quickly interrupted by the sound of an all-too familiar roar.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me…"

In a flash, the ironite that had chased us earlier swooped down, blocking our path to Chocobo's Forest. And with our backs to the mountain and South Gate, we were essentially trapped.

"Cyrus!" Quina shouted. "Dragon back! What we do?"

I sighed as I unsheathed Legacy. "We've no choice…looks like we have to fight."

"Kweh?" Choco chirped, sounding like he was asking me if I was crazy.

"Afraid so, Choco," I muttered as I readied myself. "We either fight or stand here and get eaten."

"Eaten? I no get eaten! I still have many dishes to eat!" Quina retorted as s/he grabbed his/her combat fork. "We fix tasty stew out of dragon!"

I nodded as Quina and I readied ourselves. The ironite, not backing up an inch, roared again as it prepared to strike.

_**(Play "Battle for the Future" from the Dark Cloud 2 OST)**_

The ironite took the initiative as it swooped in for a strike, looking to ram us with its hardened wings. Quina and I dodged out of the way as the ironite turned and let loose a powerful flamethrower-like attack from deep within its lungs. Quina countered the Flame attack with his/her Aqua Breath, but the ironite took exception to the blue magic as it retaliated with a strike from its tail, knocking Quina down.

Before the ironite could sink its fangs into the Qu, I rushed in and went for a slash on the ironite's left wing. However, I only managed to graze it as the ironite flew up into the air and summoned a Thundara spell. I dodged the first one, but the lesser dragon's second spell hit me dead center, sending me flying back into a nearby rock. With my body wracking in pain, I struggled to make it to my feet as the ironite stared me down, readying another Flame attack…

"Vanish!"

Quina's voice rang out as the ironite unleashed its vicious fire breath…but surprising, the magical attack didn't hurt me…in fact, it passed right through me!

"Holy hell…" I muttered as I waved my now-invisible arm in front of me. In fact, the only way you could tell that I was there was Legacy seemingly floating in mid-air. Suddenly, I was struck by inspiration as I grabbed a pair of items from my coat.

"Mix! Monster Pollen and Serpion Venom, Elemental Wind!"

As the items turned to energy and reappeared in the palm of my disembodied hand, I pointed the sphere at the ironite and shouted, "Haze of Darkness!"

A pitch-black cloud of some noxious composition rushed from my hand as it surrounded the ironite's face, disorienting the dragon as it bellowed its rage. Taking advantage of the distraction, I ran over to where Quina was standing as I motioned for Choco to come over.

"Listen!" I said as the ironite struggled to regain its sight. "I have a plan, but I need that ironite distracted for a bit. Here's what we're going to do…"

I quickly went over the plan as the Haze of Darkness dissipated and the ironite regained its sight. Roaring viciously, the ironite turned its gaze to Quina and unleashed its Flame attack, only to be countered once again by Quina's Aqua Breath. Quina managed to add a little extra magical power to this attack as Aqua Breath overpowered the ironite's fire and struck the dragon. The ironite struggled as it shook off the attack and saw Choco dashing towards it. In response, the dragon unleashed another series of Thundara attacks, all of which the speedy avian dodged as it turned and headed back over to Quina.

However, unbeknownst to the ironite, I was actually riding on Choco, taking extra care to hide Legacy from the sight of the rampaging dragon. And when Choco made the turn and diverted the ironite's attention, I had leapt off the chocobo and readied myself to strike.

"Arcana Number 2: Spectral Reaver!"

I brought Legacy down in a slash as the sickle-shaped blade of energy rocketed towards the ironite as my Vanish condition wore off. The ironite, sensing the Spectral Reaver coming, was nonetheless unable to dodge as the energy attack cut clean through its tail and right wing and dug deep into the body of lesser dragon. The ironite crashed to the ground as it screeched in agony. I landed a ways away as I shouted, "Quina! Now!"

"Time for snack!" Quina boasted as s/he pointed his/her combat fork at the ironite. Ethereal cooking implements circled around the wounded ironite. The utensils spun faster and faster as they enclosed the ironite, turning the once ravaging dragon into nothing more than a sphere of energy…energy that the Qu greedily gobbled up. Quina patted his/her stomach contently as I finally exhaled, glad to be finished with this grueling battle.

_**(End Music)**_

"Mmm! Dragon tasty! I think I learn new blue magic!" Quina proudly announced as s/he walked up to me, followed by Choco.

"Kweh kweh?" Choco warbled, seemingly asking me if I was all right. And despite being thrown hard into a boulder by a Thundara and having bruising all up and down my back, I was no worse for wear.

"I'm fine, Choco," I replied as I downed a pair of potions, handing another to Quina. "Thanks for the help."

"Kweh!" Choco exclaimed as if to say "you're welcome." I nodded as I looked at the still-smoldering battlefield where the ironite's severed tail was laying. I turned my gaze over to Quina as I smirked.

"Anyone up for grilled ironite tail steaks tonight?"

Quina nodded eagerly as s/he walked over to the severed tail and used uncanny strength to carry it. I then asked Choco to lead the way back home as our little party headed back to Chocobo's Forest, tonight's dinner in tow.

* * *

The sun had set as Quina, Choco, and I returned to Chocobo's Forest with our "hunting spoils." Freya, immediately in shock when she saw that we had returned with the ironite tail, asked us how we had managed to slay one of the monster by ourselves. So, as Quina got to work cutting up the meaty ironite tail into steaks and getting a fire started for cooking, I recounted the events of our scuffle with the lesser dragon.

"Wow…" Vivi said in a low tone.

Mene was equally impressed. "You must be pretty tough, kupo…taking out an ironite like that. And Choco! You were very brave, kupo!"

Freya crossed her arms as she smirked. "Impressive, Cyrus. Even the majority of Burmecia's dragon knights have much more trouble slaying their first ironite. Some even need several shots before they finally kill one."

"Oh? And how many tries did it take you to kill your first ironite?" I teased.

Freya simply chuckled as she held up one finger, answering my question.

"Well, I'm just glad you guys made it back safe," Zidane said as he looked over at Choco. "Oh, that reminds me! Hey Choco, Mene was discussing something with me that I want to run by you. He mentioned you can dig up treasures here in the forest, but you needed someone to help guide you in hunting. After dinner, do you want to give it a try?"

Mene nodded. "This human seems very nice, Choco! Much nicer than your last master, kupo. And he's a bit of a treasure hunter…so what do you say?"

Choco thought about it for a moment before nodding and chirping. Zidane pumped his fist as Quina announced that dinner was ready. And to my pleasant surprise, the Qu really knew how to cook, as the ironite steak and eggs were very tasty. Everyone expressed their enjoyment of the meal as we all ate our fill. Afterwards, Zidane, Choco, and Mene headed off to another section of Chocobo's Forest as we all set up tents for the night.

The Mist blocked most of the moonlight, but I could still tell that the full moon was out due to the reflection off the malevolent fog. I sat near the campfire reading from one of my newly-acquired alchemy texts while Freya sat on the other side, sharpening her spear. Quina was off eating gorging on leftovers as Vivi was already soundly asleep and Zidane was treasure-hunting with Choco.

At first, the alchemy texts made little sense to me. However, when I started rereading them, some of what the texts were explaining started to become clearer to me. Still, it was much like trying to learn calculus with barely a working knowledge of simple arithmetic…some parts were starting to make sense, but the bigger picture escaped me. I continued reading through the texts as Freya spoke up.

"Why did you decide to come with us to Burmecia, Cyrus?"

Not looking up from my book, I replied, "Would you rather I not be here?"

"No, no!" Freya insisted. "But still…Zidane's coming to help me because we've been friends for years. Vivi's coming to try and uncover his origins. Quina…well, Quina is simply looking for new foods to sample. But why are you with us? You haven't nearly known me long enough to simply be doing this out of friendship."

"That so? Well, perhaps you have a point. At any rate, I'm merely following the path I feel I need to take. Besides, I really hate war and the loss of innocent life. Do I need any other reason?"

Freya was silent for a couple of seconds before replying, "You are a strange man, Cyrus. Helping relative strangers confront a very real danger simply because you choose to. It seems so…impulsive."

"Maybe," I admitted. "But I prefer to think of it like this: I want to understand what drives people to do the things they do. In my travels, I've seen both the best and worst that society has to offer, and both sides intrigue me by their actions and their motivations. I prefer not to let myself be bogged down with worrying about what dangers may come on my journeys so long as I get the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the Truth. So I'll continue walking the path that I feel will help me gain that understanding and do what I can to become strong enough to overcome whatever obstacles may come…that make any sense?"

"A little," Freya admitted. "Well, whatever your motivations, I am grateful to have your help as well as Zidane's, Vivi's, and Quina's. I just hope we're not too late…"

"Give your countrymen some credit, Freya," I suggested. "If they're half as tough as you, then they'll survive. And first thing tomorrow morning, we'll head out and get to Burmecia as quickly as we can."

"Right," Freya stated as she yawned.

I chuckled. "Even dragon knights need their sleep, I guess. Go on, get some rest."

Freya laughed as she nodded and headed for her tent. Off in the distance, I could hear Quina snoring logs, obviously out cold after such an exhausting day. I continued reading for a few more minutes before finally putting the book back in my satchel as I headed for my own tent. I could hear Choco warbling off in the distance as I crawled into my tent and fell fast asleep.

* * *

I woke up early, just as the sun was starting to rise. Knowing that we needed to make an early start to get to Gizamaluke's Grotto, I headed over to the other tents to wake up the others. Freya was the first to emerge from her tent, followed by Vivi from his. Quina, having slept outside, simply popped up as s/he started sniffing for something else to eat.

"Well, everyone rested and ready to go?" I asked.

Everyone nodded as Freya spoke up, "We've lost a lot of time. Who knows what sort of carnage has been wrought on Burmecia…come, we must head for Gizamaluke's Grotto!"

"Wait…where's Zidane?" Vivi asked. We all looked around and saw no sign of the tailed thief anywhere. Then…

"KWEH!"

Choco came running up to our campsite, Mene following close behind. Riding Choco was Zidane, and he had a big bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hey guys!" Zidane exclaimed as he hopped off Choco. "You guys look ready to go!"

"Where have you been, Zidane?" Freya asked, staring at the large bag that Zidane had set down.

Zidane smirked. "Well, Choco and I spent all night digging up treasure. We also found these stone tablets that showed locations around the world. Mene calls them 'Chocographs.' Anyway, I rode Choco to the locations on the tablets and found a whole heaping pile of equipment and items! Check it out!"

Zidane opened his loot bag as we all dug through, finding all sorts of useful gear. Freya and I claimed two pairs of new combat boots as Quina and Vivi grabbed new mage clothes to wear under their traveling coats. We all divided up the healing items as Mene walked up to Zidane.

"Choco says he wants to help you out! So if you ever need Choco, use this!"

Mene handed Zidane a hand-carved ocarina in the shape of a chocobo's head. "Use this Chocorina wherever you find chocobo tracks. And make sure you have gysahl greens from this forest handy…otherwise, Choco can't find you. Keep finding treasure, kupo! Help Choco become strong!"

"Will do…thanks!" Zidane replied cheerfully as he pocketed the Chocorina. "Well, gang…we're long overdue in Burmecia. Let's head for Gizamaluke's Grotto. Quina, lead the way…and don't get distracted by your stomach again."

"Okay! I take you to cave to Burmecia! No problem!" Quina exclaimed with a nod of his/her head as she, Freya, and Zidane took point as our party exited Chocobo's Forest. Mene and Choco waved goodbye as we headed back out onto the plains and into the thick of the Mist.

Despite feeling well-rested, my mind was far from at ease…especially knowing what awaited us at Gizamaluke's Grotto.

I could only hope that we weren't too late to do what needed to be done as our traveling troop pressed forward towards Burmecia…and to war.

* * *

_**New Mix Combinations:**_

_**Haze of Darkness-a black, sinister cloud of smoke surrounds the enemy, obscuring their sight. It has a chance of poisoning and blinding anything it touches.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Author's Notes:**

**Another fairly light-hearted chapter before heading into some deep shiznit. Like I mentioned, I wanted to cram in the start of the Choco sidequests into the story before heading forward with the plot because…well, come on! Final Fantasy IX isn't Final Fantasy IX without the Choco sidequests!**

**But next chapter…next chapter, we bring back the epic…Cyrus Truth-style!**

**Wow…just wow. So many reviewers to thank, both regulars and newbies! Thanks goes out to the following awesome people:**

**The Duelist of Dawn, ****Ranchdressing, ****NobodiesHiiro, ****Shadow knight1121, ****Sebastian's Servant Felicia (NEW REVIEWER!), ****David L.J.J, ****FF and STH, ****Volanaro, ****Master of Death and Darkness (NEW REVIEWER!), ****Dreylen, ****sarahleonhart (NEW REVIEWER!)**

**As you can tell, new reviewers make me excited. I thank all of my wonderful reviewers/recruits for the Legion of Awesome for all the feedback. You guys rock so hard, it makes Black Sabbath look like Justin Bieber.**

**Next Time: The Grotto Becomes A Grave**

**Reviews can be used as a tax write-off, so keep them coming!**

**(Warning: Reviews cannot be used as a tax write-off. This is a sorry attempt at a Review Beg Joke and any attempt to try and use reviews as a tax write-off will get you laughed at by your accountant.)**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

"**The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


	15. The Grotto Becomes a Grave

"No…"

We had finally reached the entrance of Gizamaluke's Grotto after wandering through the Mist for a good couple of hours. However, we were greeted by the sight of broken, battle-scarred architecture and the bodies of a pair of Burmecian soldiers. Their bodies were still smoldering from being attacked by what I presumed was black magic. Freya, distraught, ran up to the bodies, hoping against despair that they were still alive.

"Come on, get up! Damn it! Say something!"

I walked up to Freya as she was kneeling next to one of the bodies, placing my hand on her shoulder. "Freya, don't…he's dead."

Freya, obviously frustrated, stood up and shouted, "Those black mages! Who are they?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vivi wringing his hands. Obviously, our young mage friend was uncomfortable with the idea that this carnage was caused by black mages. Zidane, noticing Vivi's discomfort, walked up and patted him on the shoulder.

"It's okay, Vivi…you didn't do anything."

"Vivi, aren't those black mages your…" Freya was about to ask when a thought struck her. "The king! He might be in danger! Come on!"

Without hesitating, Freya dashed into Gizamaluke's Grotto as we all followed behind her. The grotto itself was very ornate, as the floor was cobblestone and the walls were all alit with candles. Intricate designs were carved into the cave walls, making this grotto look more like a shrine.

We were passing through a tunnel towards what looked like a large door when we heard pained moans coming from our rights. Down a smaller tunnel, we found a Burmecian soldier still barely clinging to life inside of what looked like a storehouse for weapons and supplies. Zidane ran up and knelt next to the Burmecian as he managed to choke out:

"…Black mages…couldn't do anything…"

"Take it easy, man," Zidane replied. "We're here to help. We're on our way to Burmecia."

"That's good…ugh…" the soldier stated between pained breaths. "I think…I'm done for. Here…"

The soldier, in spite of his agony, rummaged through his uniform and handed Zidane a bell. It was made of silver and bore the engraved image of some kind of serpent. The Burmecian soldier started coughing up blood.

"Take that bell…the black mages, they took our bells. Go to Burmecia…protect the…the…"

At that moment, the Burmecian soldier breathed his last as he fell in a heap onto the cobblestone floor. We all were silent for a few seconds out of respect before Zidane stood up. He muttered something unintelligible under his breath as he looked back at us.

"Freya, do you know what this bell is for?"

Freya nodded. "Come with me. I'll show you."

Freya led us out of the storeroom and to the door we had seen earlier. The door was massive and looked nearly impossible to open. Its most noticeable feature was that there was a large, bronze bell hanging in the door itself. Zidane handed Freya the bell as she held it up and started to shake it.

"Burmecians favor the sound of bells…it's been that way for ages," Freya explained as the bell started to ring. Soon after, to our surprise, the bell embedded in the door started to ring as well. "Our sages use the sound of mystical bells to protect our most treasured locations."

Seconds later, the bell in Freya's hand shattered as the door suddenly started opening. The ancient doors creaked open and remained such as Freya motioned for us to follow her deeper into the grotto.

As we descended into the grotto, we stepped past the bodies of Burmecian soldiers, all of them bearing the scars and wounds from an onslaught of magical spells. Freya, despite her tough façade, was noticeably more and more distraught over the sight of more and more of her countrymen lying dead on the ground. I wanted to say something, anything…but I remained silent as I continued following the others down the tunnel, slaying a handful of monster-sized hornets along the way.

We reached a large atrium in the grotto, which had been recommissioned into some sort of chapel. Indeed, with the wall and bridge blocking us from our next doorway and the way that stain-glass windows were hewn into the rock, it looked exactly like the front door of a cathedral. I had never realized how much Gizamaluke's Grotto looked like a place of worship and ritual until I had to walk through it myself, and I almost had to stop myself from admiring the architecture…but I did, as we headed for a wooden gangplank leading through an arch cutting through the wall/bridge standing in our way.

However, as we got closer to the gangplank, we started to see signs of combat, as Burmecian soldiers with their rapier-like blades squared off against black mages, identical to the ones we encountered in Dali and on the cargo ship. The black mages, almost as if they were operating with one mind hell-bent on murder and destruction, launched spell after spell at the Burmecians, slaying many of the soldiers. Still, in spite of being completely overwhelmed, the Burmecians continued to fight until their dying breath…but their valor was no match for the overwhelming numbers and magical capabilities of the black mage army.

We had reached the gangplank as the black mages on the ramparts finished off their opponents. Walking out to inspect the carnage were two short court jesters, one wearing red and the other blue. The twin harlequins jumped up and down in sick glee, enjoying the death and destruction caused by the black mages. Their jubilation was cut short, however, when they caught a glimpse of us.

"Who is that, Thorn?" the blue-garbed jester asked out loud.

"That, I do not know, Zorn," the red harlequin replied.

"I know I have seen him somewhere before," Zorn added, pointed at Zidane.

Thorn shook his head. "Somewhere before? I have not seen him. I know."

Zorn sighed and shrugged. "I guess it is not important…"

He then added with a disturbing grin from his white-painted face. "Let's kill them."

Thorn matched his counterpart's sadistic smile as a pair of black mages walked up to the jesters. "Yes…kill them, shall we?"

The two of them pointed at us and ordered in synch, "Black mages! Kill them all!"

"KILL!" the black mages bellowed as they leapt from the ramparts. We didn't even get the chance to try and negotiate as the mages unleashed a pair of Fire spells right at our party. Vivi and Quina, acting more on instinct than anything, countered with Blizzard and Aqua Breath respectively. That allowed Zidane and Freya to leap over the Vivi and Quina and strike the black mages down.

Enraged, Zorn and Thorn ordered a new pair of mages out front, who instead of leaping down to meet us launched magical spells at us from above. Zidane and Freya used their weapons to swat the spells away, but that's all they could do. However…

"Arcana Number 2: Spectral Reaver!"

I quickly conjured the energy on my scythe's blade and unleashed the magical sickle at the black mages. The Spectral Reaver struck both mages and sent them flying back hard into the stone wall. I rested the still-smoking Legacy on my shoulder as Zorn and Thorn looked on, shocked.

"HEE! Scary monsters, they are!" Thorn squealed.

"Run away!" Zorn ordered as both jesters headed into a hole in the cave wall. Freya leapt up onto the rampart and tried to chase the harlequins down, but they sealed their exit before Freya could catch them. Angry, Freya instead turned her attention to her fallen comrades on the wall as the rest of us moved across the gangplanks.

The other side of the wall looked like something out of a war documentary. Bodies were strewn everywhere, both black mage and Burmecian alike. There was blood splattered on the cobblestone ground and walls, and the stench of death was overwhelming. All of us, even the simplistic Quina who didn't quite fully understand what was going on, were taken aback by the sheer devastation…but none more than Vivi, who stared at the fallen bodies of the black mages with the same sort of confusion and pain that he had carried with him since we first heard about the black mage army.

Zidane was checking to see if there were any surviving Burmecians while Quina stood next to Vivi, saying nothing but supporting him regardless. Freya was still searching the top of the wall while I stood in the center of the plaza, hand still gripped tightly around Legacy's shaft.

Unbeknownst to my comrades, in a pile of corpses, a still-functioning black mage was climbing out and back to its feet. The black mage soldier conjured lightning in its hands as it took aim at Zidane…

"KILL!"

Before it could unleash its Thunder spell, I quickly dashed over to the black mage and cut it down with a single slash to the torso. The mage fell down hard onto the cobblestone floor as it laid there, twitching like a toy whose batteries were starting to die out.

"Bloody demons!" Freya snarled as she leapt down from the ramparts next to me. The others were forming up on us as Freya noticed the injured black mage lying on the ground at my feet.

"It's still alive…" Freya muttered as she drew her spear. Hatred was evident in her eyes as she brought her spear up and aimed for the black mage's dark-hazed face. She then proceeded to bring her spear down…

…that is, until I blocked her spear with Legacy.

"What do you think you're doing, Freya?"

Freya glared at me as she struggled to break free. "This black mage has slain dozens of my countrymen…they've desecrated this holy place. They're nothing but monsters! They deserve to die!"

At that comment, I got in Freya's face.

"Monsters? Try telling that to him."

I pointed behind Freya as she turned…and saw Vivi, trembling in fright. Freya, realizing what she just said in front of our own black mage companion, withdrew her spear.

"Tell me Freya…what is your blade for?" I asked.

"My blade?"

"Yeah," I reiterated as I looked back at the slowly dying black mage. "This mage here…will killing him change anything that has happened? Revenge is fine until it becomes cold-blooded…thoughtless slaughter used to ease the pain of tragedy. I don't know what your blade is for, but mine is not for vengeance."

Freya silently mulled over what I had said as the black mage on the floor finally stopped moving. I sighed as I sheathed Legacy and turned to the rest of the party, who up until now had been watching what was occurring in relative silence.

"Hey Cyrus…" Zidane finally spoke up. "We should probably get moving. More black mages or monsters might be on their way."

"Yeah," I said as I looked to my right to see a small flight of stairs leading to a large bronze door, again with a bell hanging in the center. "Looks like we'll need another bell to get out of here."

"…I have one," Freya stated as she showed us another bell. "One of the soldiers was carrying it on the wall. He handed it to me with the last of his strength…and he asked me to protect the king."

"…Freya…" Vivi muttered before speaking up. "We need to go if we're gonna to protect your home, right? So, let's go."

Freya somberly nodded as she led us up the stairs towards the door. She rang the silver bell in her hand as the bell embedded in the door rang in tune. And just like before, the bell in Freya's hand shattered as the door creaked open. We all checked our equipment before following Zidane through the doorway, deeper into the grotto.

* * *

The door we had opened led to a long hallway, illuminated by candlelight and adorned with artifacts from what I presumed was Burmecia's long and distant past. Surprisingly, this area was relatively unscathed, almost as if the Burmecian soldiers had intentionally tried to keep the fighting away from this area in an effort to preserve the artifacts. Which, to me, was a sad thing if it were true…this hallway and the rooms they led to would have provided a much better defense against the invading black mages. As much as I can understand wanting to preserve one's lineage and history, doing it at the expense of lives was something I couldn't comprehend.

Regardless, we pressed on through the hallway until we reached an atrium. This chamber's walls were as white as ivory and incredibly ornate. The light in this room came from some strange crystals affixed to a chandelier, giving this place the look of a place of sacrament and rituals. In the middle of the room was a large cast bell, resting on top of a cracked altar. It was obvious to us that the bell had crashed down from the ceiling on top of the altar.

But the thing that caught our attention was a female moogle, trembling in fright in front of the fallen bell. And the cause of its fright was a massive pink serpent-like creature with arms and a massive plumed headdress. The monster was flanked on either side by a pair of living skeletons, wearing tattered, rotting blue tunics and carrying jagged, hilt-less knives.

"Kupo…" the moogle squeaked. "Please, don't hurt me, kupo!"

"Oh, what's the matter?" the serpent hissed in a diabolical, feminine tone. "Did we intrude on your wedding, little one? Perhaps I should ease your pain and fear with pain of a different sort!"

"Hey, back off!" Zidane shouted as he unsheathed The Ogre. "Leave that moogle alone!"

The serpent (which I recognized as Lamia), turned and faced us along with her skeleton entourage. Her eyes were barely open slits and her lips were massive, making this monster a repulsive sight that almost made me wish I was looking at Queen Brahne again…almost.

"Hsss…you humans dare interrupt my feasting? Perhaps you would care to take that creature's place as my newest subjects?"

"Dream on, snake-bitch," I snarled as I readied Legacy. "Either get the hell out of our sight or I'll skin you and turn you into a belt."

"Oooh, so fiery!" Lamia replied as she held up her own rusted dagger. "Let us see if that rage can sustain you long enough for me to suck your marrow dry!"

_**(Play Final Fantasy X Normal Battle Theme)**_

Lamia rushed at me with blazing speed, forcing me to react and block her dagger with Legacy's shaft. The serpent-like demon was strong as I struggled to keep my footing. Meanwhile, the others were engaging Lamia's skeleton troops, as Zidane and Freya clashed blades with the undead soldiers and Vivi and Quina were supporting them with magic.

"Perhaps you might change your perspective when you look into my eyes, human…" Lamia hissed as her slitted eyelids opened wide. As I looked into the monster's soulless eyes, my mind started to get very foggy as my thoughts were spinning. Lamia, taking advantage of my less lucid state, pushed me back and slashed me across the chest, drawing blood.

I fell to the ground as my head was swimming. So many different thoughts were coursing through my mind to the point that I felt like I was going insane. I couldn't tell friend from foe, and I couldn't even react to the pain that I was in. At that point, everything in the room was a potential threat and I reacted as such, swinging Legacy at anything that moved.

"Damn it! Cyrus is confused!" I thought I heard Zidane say as I struck at a figure, which fortunately was a skeleton soldier. It fell to the ground lifeless (as near as I could tell) as I turned and slashed at another figure…this time, I wasn't so fortunate.

"Cyrus!" Freya shouted as she blocked Legacy's blade with her spear shaft. "Snap out of it! It's me!"

"Grr…agh…ugh!"

"It's hopeless, rat," Lamia's voice rang out. "He's too confused to understand anything you're saying. If you want to stop him, you'll have to kill him!"

"I no think so!" Quina shouted from what I assumed was behind me. "All he needs is cold drink! Aqua Breath!"

In my confused state, I could only tell that something was coming from behind me as Freya pushed me back and a powerful stream of water struck me in the back. Quina did power it down from what s/he usually used in battle, but it still hit like a cannonball as I was send flying into the fallen bell, my head striking the bell hard as Quina's Aqua Breath subsided.

"Fools," Lamia grumbled as Zidane finished off the last two skeletons. "Slowly but surely, I've been increasing my power throughout this battle. None of you can hope to stand against me!"

"Yeah, right! Nice bluff!" Zidane boasted as he rushed in with his thief sword. He leapt up, looking to cleave Lamia in two…however, the snake demon blocked it with her dagger with relative ease. Zidane's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as Lamia flashed a sinister smile before forcing Zidane back.

Freya tried her hand with a leaping dive, but Lamia was able to dodge and swat Freya away with her tail. Quina and Vivi then launched a combination Thunder/Pumpkin Head attack, but even the electrified jack-o-lantern couldn't gravely wound Lamia as she quickly slithered up to and struck the two mages with her dagger. As the party struggled to get back to their feet, Lamia simply stood near where I was lying still dazed from striking the bell, glowing in an eerie red light.

"You pathetic cretins! This is my domain now! Not you or Gizamaluke can drive me away! I'll kill you all!"

"Think again…"

Lamia seemed surprised as she turned to see me standing behind her, Legacy resting on my shoulder and my hand on my head, trying to stop the swelling from where my head struck the bell. Now lucid and really angry, I glared at the snake lady as my grip tightened on my scythe's shaft.

"You've broken free of my confusion spell, I see…not that it will do any good. With the combined effects of my Might spells, I'm far too strong for you to…"

Before Lamia could finish her sentence, I drove my scythe blade down hard on to her tail with everything I had. Lamia screeched in pain as I held Legacy down, not letting the monster break free.

"Hit her with everything you have!"

The others nodded in agreement as Quina and Vivi unleashed Aqua Breath and Blizzard spells, encasing Lamia in a coat of ice. She continued to screech and scream bloody murder until Freya drove her spear deep into her throat.

"For Master Gizamaluke…" Freya muttered as Zidane finished the job with his strongest slash, decapitating Lamia and ending the grueling battle.

_**(End Music)**_

"Man, that was rough," Zidane muttered as he and Freya downed potions. Vivi and Quina breathed a sigh of relief as Quina sniffed at the fallen corpse of Lamia with a ravenous disposition. It was at that point that Freya looked over at me.

"Cyrus? Are you all right?"

I nodded weakly as blood continued to seep through the wound in my chest that I had suffered from Lamia's initial slash. I fell to my knee as vision started to fade to black. I was long passed out from pain as my body fell in a heap on the floor.

"Is he dead, kupo?"

"Nah…he just got really worked over by that Lamia creature. The phoenix down we used should have him up and at it again."

"You sure he doesn't have Kupo Nut, kupo? I think I smell one, kupo!"

"Um, I don't think Cyrus is the type to carry stuff like that around…"

I finally opened my eyes to see Zidane, Vivi, and two moogles kneeling around me, staring at my face. Instinctively, my hand went for my chest, only to find that the wound had been closed and my clothes had been stitched together. I slowly sat up as the moogles hopped up and down joyfully and Zidane nodded, pleased with my recovery.

"Ugh…how long was I out?" I asked.

Zidane shrugged. "About five minutes or so. You really got yourself hurt, man. You're lucky…any more serious and you…"

"Yeah, I know…" I muttered, fully aware of my mortality. I got back to my feet and picked up Legacy, sheathing it. "Sorry about the battle. I got careless…I should've known better."

"Kupo! There wasn't much you could've done against Lamia's Entice spell," the female moogle from earlier chimed in. "She slew a lot of warriors using that power of confusion. You were lucky to have friends with you, kupo. Still, all's well that ends well. At least everyone's okay, especially my husband!"

"Husband?" I asked as I turned to the other moogle, whose face was about an inch from my own. The moogle kept sniffing at something as I stood there, feeling awkward as all hell.

"Um, can I help you?"

The moogle kept sniffing as he asked, "You have Kupo Nut?"

I shook my head. "Sorry, I don't. Who are you again?"

"I'm Moguta, and that's my wife, Mogmi. Are you sure you don't have any Kupo Nuts, kupo?"

I groaned as I got back to my feet. "Yeah, I'm sure. Look, I'm glad we were able to help and all, but we really need to get through this grotto."

"Are you sure you are fit to fight?" Freya asked from where she was standing next to the massive bell, which was now on its side.

"Yeah, don't worry about me," I replied. "I've still got a breath in my lungs, so I'm good to go."

"Good to hear it!" Zidane chimed in as he looked over at another bell-locked door. "Hmm, looks like we'll need another one of those Gizamaluke bells to get through."

Mogmi shook her head. "Not exactly, kupo. The regular bells won't work on that door. You'll need a special holy bell to get through, kupo. Moguta, perhaps you should…?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry! I was thinking about delicious Kupo Nuts. Wait here!"

Moguta quickly headed for another open doorway, which I could tell led to an armory of sorts. The hyperactive moogle soon returned holding a bell, this time cast in gold and adorned with what looked to be ancient script. Moguta handed the bell over to me and explained:

"This bell was blessed by Burmecian clerics when they made a pact with Gizamaluke, kupo! It's the only thing that'll open that door and let you pass into Burmecia."

"Thanks," I replied as I turned to face the door. "By the way, how is it that the black mages are getting through? When we trudged through, all the doors were sealed shut."

"Kupo…I'm not sure," Moguta admitted. "It's strange…it's almost as if they appeared from out of nowhere. In any event, if you're heading for Burmecia, you'd best get moving quickly, kupo. From the looks of things, it's getting rough there, kupo."

"Indeed," Freya chimed in as our traveling party huddled up. "Cyrus, let's get moving."

I nodded as we all walked to the door leading to the exit. With the bell in my hand, I rang it as the bell embedded in the door rang in unison. The holy bell shattered as the door opened up, leading to another tunnel. We all checked our gear as we headed in. Moguta and Mogmi waved goodbye as Moguta shouted:

"Next time you're here, bring more Kupo Nuts!"

* * *

The air was getting thicker as we pressed forward, and the reason why became very clear as we reached our destination. There, between us and the exit, was a large body of water traversable only by a narrow stone walkway. There were large ducts in the walls that seemed to cycle the water in this section of the grotto, as effigies of serpents adorned the rims of the ducts. I couldn't help but admire the architecture…that is, until the panged moans of a dying Burmecian soldier brought me back to reality.

"No…hang on!" Freya pleaded as she knelt down to help the soldier. The rest of us didn't have the heart to tell Freya, but Quina whispered what we were all thinking:

"He too far gone…"

"Ugh…Freya…" the soldier croaked. "You have to get out of here…"

"We know," Freya replied, "we're heading for Burmecia to stop these invading Alexandrians."

"N…no, you don't understand…" the soldier insisted as he coughed up a bit of blood. "It's Master Gizamaluke…some strange clowns have taken control of him. He's…gone insane. You have to leave…"

"Master Gizamaluke?" Freya shouted in shock. "What sort of sorcery is this?"

"Please, Freya…leave…go to Burmecia. Protect…protect the…"

Before the soldier could finish his statement, a loud roar could be heard from the largest of the viaducts. We all instinctively grabbed our weapons as a black serpent-like creature slid out and into the water below. All of us frantically tried to pinpoint the creature when a massive tail shot out of the water and crashed into the walkway, crushing the dying Burmecian soldier and dragging him under. Freya had to leap away to avoid getting crushed herself as the monster arose from the deep.

True enough, it was a serpent, with a long, slender body and a red belly. It looked like a cobra with a large jagged-edged fan surrounding its upper body. The creature's eyes were blood-red and its jaw was lined with razor-sharp teeth. It glared at us with an intention to murder as we all stared in awe of what once was the grand protector of the grotto.

"No…Master Gizamaluke! Please, stop! You're being controlled by those who wish harm upon Burmecia! I beg you, open your eyes!" Freya pleaded with the serpent.

Gizamaluke didn't even so much as acknowledge Freya as he simply stared daggers at the dragon knight. Freya was about to try reasoning with Gizamaluke again, but she stopped as Zidane placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Freya…don't. Whatever this thing is, it's not Gizamaluke anymore. We've got no choice…"

Freya was about to argue with the thief, but she realized that he was speaking the Truth. Silently, she drew her spear as Gizamaluke let loose a deafening roar.

"Heads up! He's coming!" I shouted as I tightened my grip on Legacy.

_**(Play Holy Orders: Be Just or Be Dead from the Guilty Gear 2 OST)**_

The guardian of the grotto quickly struck first, using his massive tail to swipe at us all on the narrow walkway. Zidane and Freya were able to leap out of harm's way, but the rest of us weren't so lucky as Vivi got swatted into me and Quina used his/her massive combat fork to try and hold the tail off. I quickly got to my feet and used Legacy to slash at Gizamaluke's tail, drawing a thick bluish-green substance that I assumed to be blood from the wound. Apparently, whatever magics that kept Gizamaluke under enemy control also dulled his sense of pain as it cast a powerful Water spell at me, enclosing me in a sphere of liquid from the grotto. I could hardly breathe as the spell collapse around me, crushing me.

Needless to say, I wasn't in any condition to react quickly as Gizamaluke lunged at me, maw wide open. Fortunately, both Quina and Vivi got back on their feet and guarded me.

"Thunder!" Vivi shouted at the top of his lungs as he pointed his staff at Gizamaluke and sent a lightning bolt straight between the serpent's eyes. Gizamaluke, being an aquatic creature, felt the full brunt of the Thunder as it staggered back. This gave Freya an opening to leap up and strike Gizamaluke with her spear. However, Freya missed the great serpent's head and ended up striking him in the back. Still smarting from the lightning magic, Gizamaluke thrashed about and bucked Freya off, sending her crashing into the narrow walkway we were forced to battle on. Enraged, he went to slam Freya with his massive tail, but Zidane managed to halt his strike with a pair of blisteringly-fast slashes with his Ogre.

"Vivi!" I shouted as I rummaged through my coat. "Hit it with more lightning magic! He's weak to it!"

"Right!" Vivi replied as he conjured another series of Thunder spells, striking Gizamaluke hard with the opposing element. Gizamaluke seemed to be stunned during the barrage, but after one last Thunder the monster roared, as Vivi, Quina, and I felt the shockwaves. Vivi especially felt the full effect of Gizamaluke's roar as he stalwartly got back to his feet and began casting more Thunder…

…or at least he would've, had he not somehow lost his voice.

"It's Gizamaluke's Silent Voice!" Freya explained as she jumped to dodge another of Gizamaluke's attacks. "It's a counter against mages!"

"Right!" Quina nodded as s/he raised his/her fork up in the air. "Angel's Snack!"

Quina started glowing in a golden hue as we all soon followed suit. All of us couldn't feel anything, save for Vivi. The powerful healing aura cured him of his silence, much to his joy.

However, Gizamaluke wasn't about to give the mage another chance to unleash more Thunder spells, as he rushed over to strike him down with his fangs. Seeing this and knowing I wasn't fast enough to stop him, I did the next best thing:

"Arcana Number 3…Shadow Harvest!"

Like I did during the Festival of the Hunt, I seemed to vanish before everyone's eyes. However, despite its appearance, I didn't just up and disappear.

Shadow Harvest, contrary to how it looks from the outside, isn't a teleportation technique. Instead, it merely allows me faster-than-humanely possible speed, allowing me to counter an enemy strike or strike first out of everyone in my party. However, instead of using the speed to attack, I used it to grab Vivi and get him out of the way before Gizamaluke could devour him. Once Vivi was safely away, I turned and drove Legacy's blade deep into the monster's serpentine body.

However, while Shadow Harvest is a very potent ability, at my current level it took quite a bit of energy out of me. My focus wasn't there as Gizamaluke struck me with his tail, knocking me into the water.

"Cyrus!" Zidane shouted as Gizamaluke roared again, this time casting a massive Water spell that encompassed the entire party. This time, Gizamaluke held the Water spell, looking to drown everyone. Seeing what was going on from the water, I quickly swam back to the surface and finally drew the items I was looking for.

"Mix! Flan Ooze and Fish Scale, Elemental Water! Frigid Revenge!"

The materials vanished from my left hand and materialized in my right into a sphere of cold energy. Gizamaluke could barely react as I fired that sphere directly into the grotto's waters, freezing it solid in an instant. The temperature in the grotto felt a dozen or so degrees as the cold-blooded serpent lost his focus, which dissipated the Water spell he had been casting. Zidane, Freya, Vivi, and Quina all gasped for air as they got back to their feet.

"We have to strike now," I said with a deadly serious tone as Gizamaluke struggled to free itself from the ice. "That ice won't stick around for much longer…"

"But…he's trapped. Maybe we can still reason with him…" Freya stammered, almost as if she was talking to herself.

Just as Freya mentioned that, Gizamaluke roared a feral, beastly roar. Like a caged animal, he continued to writhe and squirm. The ice was starting to cut into his flesh, but he paid no heed.

Seeing this, Freya sighed and resigned herself to the Truth. "Very well. Let us end this. Forgive us, Master Gizamaluke…"

Zidane and I nodded as we readied our weapons and took charge at Gizamaluke. The serpent could do nothing but struggle as Zidane's Ogre and my Legacy cut deep, hemorrhaging gashes in his chest. Freya took one final leap in the air and brought her spear tip down with lightning speed, right into the maw of Gizamaluke. The spear severed the monster's spine as blood filled the great serpent's lungs, choking him as he fell below the surface of the ice. There was no more motion as the water turned a deep shade of crimson.

_**(End Music)**_

As Gizamaluke's body drifted to the bottom of the grotto, the effects of Frigid Revenge subsided. Freya felt to a knee as she muttered to herself.

"Damn it all…what happened to Master Gizamaluke?"

"Freya, listen…" Zidane tried to say in consolation before I butted in.

"Zidane, don't. I doubt anything you say will help her sort through this right now…"

Zidane was about to protest, but seeing Freya made him realize I was right. We all stood there silent for what seemed like a good while, giving us a chance to down potions and rest. Finally, Freya stood up and stared at us.

"We waste time standing here. Come! We have to hurry to Burmecia. His Majesty could be in grave danger!"

We all nodded as we gathered our belongings and followed Freya to a door leading out of the grotto. I stole one last glance at the now bloody grotto and shook my head in dismay.

"The stakes aren't getting any less steep," I whispered as I ran to catch up to the others…

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**So yeah, I suppose you're all wondering what took me so long to update.**

**Well, without getting into too many details about my personal life, a lot of stuff's been going on. Heavy stuff that's required a lot more of my attention and energy than I'd prefer to give. But I haven't forgotten this story and I have plans on completing it. It just might take a lot longer than I originally intended.**

**So yeah, I apologize for it taking so long. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and understand.**

**Special thanks to all my reviewers...and Truth knows there's a lot of them!**

**Quietsound, CaptCookie, , KahChanXP, Madman584, Erstellung666, Diablo125, darkheart753, sarahleonhart, Shadow knight1121, David L.J.J., Extreme uGamer, NobodiesHiiro, Dreylen, FF and STH, Ranchdressing, Master of Death and Darkness, and The Duelist of Dawn.**

**Next chapter: Destruction Rains from the Heavens**

**You have come to write reviews and chew bubblegum...and you're all out of bubblegum.**

**See you on the Long and Winding Road,**

**"The Exile" Cyrus Truth**


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